A Celestial Dawn
by J.Danderson
Summary: The war has ended and Katara and Zuko are living happily, surrounded by the newly-established world peace, but not for long. A new rebellion is lurking in the shadows, lead by some familiar faces. Will they overcome it? What troubles will they face? Can they survive through this upheaval with their love for each other still intact? This is their story. Read and Review. Zutara.
1. Chapter 1: Confessions

******Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

******Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Confessions**

* * *

It was daybreak at the Fire Nation Palace. So calm, so peaceful. Every day has been the same since Avatar Aang had defeated Fire Lord Ozai during the one hundred years' return of Sozin's Comet four summers ago. Servants and house keepers are wandering the corridors, double-checking to see if everything was satisfactory for their new Lord and Lady's awakening. Masters and Apprentices head out to the courtyard to practice. Commanders and other soldiers begin their routes, protecting everything from the smallest turtle-duck to the largest komodo-rhino. Cooks begin to prepare the day's beginning meal and carefree laughter can be heard throughout the halls. It was just another ordinary day.

Meanwhile, in the Fire Lord and Lady's chambers, two figures lie in bed, breathing heavily with sleep—one of them in which will be waking quite soon; or "rising with the sun", as he had once put it, long before he had even dreamt of the future he now lives today. Never had he dreamed that he would become Fire Lord of this great nation, nor had he imagined joining sides with the Avatar in his quest to defeat Fire Lord Ozai—his father, of all people—only then to marry a Master Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe: Katara. The people of the Fire Nation had surprisingly no negative reaction towards the Fire Lord's choice in a bride. They, in fact, welcomed her with open arms, happy to accept a marriage of two of the world's nations. Natural opposites: Fire and Water. After all, the Waterbender was the one who defeated the insane Princess Azula when he had taken a lightning bolt for her and was severely wounded during the Agni Kai between siblings. The reaction from his people was the only thing that had truly surprised the young Fire Lord, aside from his realization that he was in love with his natural opposite, only to find that she mirrored those feelings. It only took the end of a one hundred-year-old war and a near-death experience to realize it.

Zuko rolled gently so as to not wake his slumbering wife, making it so that he was facing the sunlight that shown through the curtains hanging over the balcony that overlooked the Capital City. His right eye opened slowly, followed by the other a second later. He closed both again and took a deep breath before sitting up slowly. He reached his arms above his head in a long stretch, feeling the lingering ache in his muscles from the spar that was held the other day with his wife. He had taken his defeat quite well, but the ache was worse today than before. He quickly contemplated the thought of asking her to heal the bruised muscles of his back and neck, but quickly dismissed the thought, as it would show a weakness for pain.

With the thought of her and with one last glance at the rising sun, Zuko turned slowly to look at his wife. She looked quite peaceful as she slept and Zuko took note of this: She wore her hair loose; a couple curls draped over her shoulder, and she had both of her hands under her cheek, cradling her face against the pillow. She, too, was facing the balcony, the sun that now shown through the curtains a fraction brighter. She began doing this a few months after their marriage and the thought of his Firebending habits rubbing off on her made him chuckle. He hadn't noticed at first, but the low sound had awakened her.

Katara's eyes opened slowly and she gazed at Zuko, blinking sleep away. "Good morning," she said, smiling.

"Good morning. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I was just thinking and a funny thought came to mind," he answered.

"Oh, no, it's okay. I needed to get up anyway. What was your funny thought?" she asked, yawning.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how being Fire Nation is rubbing off on you, my lady," he chuckled again at the thought before kissing her cheek.

"Well that's only because I'm married to a Firebender, my lord," she smiled. Zuko hated his formal title. That hatred was even more so when his wife addressed him that way. He found it quite annoying, even though he knew that she did it as a joke.

"You know I hate that," he said, glaring.

"Yeah, I'm aware. You know I'm just kidding, Zuko. It's just fun to annoy you sometimes. You never get that angry look on your face that would scare even the most vicious platypus-bear anymore. It's just, sometimes, I really do miss the Good Old Days," Katara chuckled.

"Yeah. Y_ou_ may have liked the 'Old Days', but _I_ sure didn't…" Zuko murmured, looking back at the balcony curtains.

"Zuko," Katara said. She used that same tone of voice that she uses when she is being serious. Zuko knew this and he returned his gaze to her.

"What?" he asked in a low voice.

"I love you," she said, smiling an innocent smile.

"Love you, too," he answered, looking away from her again. She placed her hand on his cheek, coaxing him to face her again, and she reached up to kiss his lips. To her pleasure, he responded immediately.

Just as the kiss was starting to evolve into something more passionate, a quick rap sounded at the door.

"No privacy!" Zuko huffed. Katara giggled as she got up from the bed. She walked across the room and opened the door to one of the servants holding a scroll out to her.

"Sorry to disturb you, my lady, but a message has just arrived for you and Fire Lord Zuko from a Lord Sokka and Lady Suki of the Southern Water Tribe," the servant stated quietly. He bowed low before offering the scroll to her.

She doubted that she would ever get used to the formalities with the servants, but quickly dismissed the thought. "No trouble at all," Katara answered casually, taking the scroll. "Thank you. You may resume your duties."

"Thank you, my lady," the servant said, bowing again. He turned to walk down the hall as Katara began to shut the door.

Zuko had gotten up and out of the bed and was just finishing tying the knot on his robes when Katara turned to face the room again. He noticed the scroll in her hands.

"What's that?" he asked, eyeing Katara as she removed the ribbon and hesitantly opened it.

"A letter from Sokka and Suki…" She trailed off, focusing on what she was reading. Zuko sat back down at the edge of the bed, waiting.

Katara's eyes suddenly got very large and a small gasp escaped her lips. Just as Zuko was beginning to get worried, she smiled.

"What is it? What did it say?" he asked, looking at Katara, completely confused. His mind raced as he tried to figure out what the letter had said. _Something is wrong. Something is _very _wrong._

"Suki's pregnant!" she squealed. "And… They're having a baby!" she quickly finished, her gaze switching back and forth between the letter and her husband.

Zuko's eyes became very large with surprise. "Wow, really? When did they find that out?" His assumptions had been completely off. It wasn't _bad_ news. It was _good _news—_very_ good news.

"Sokka said that when Toph and Aang were there, making the routes, Toph said something about Suki having two heartbeats," she answered, scanning the letter for more information. "He said that when they went to see the healers, they were told that she was expecting a baby. Wow! That is so amazing!" she squealed again.

"Good for them. I'm sure Sokka's pleased with himself," Zuko smiled, chuckling. He was happy to see his wife's reaction to this news and of becoming an aunt. Although, deep down, he himself wished that this was _their_ news to share.

It was a few months after their first year of marriage. Katara had become pregnant and had suffered a miscarriage. A stillbirth. A son. A baby boy. The midwives' best guess was that it was the blending of opposite elements. A waterbender and a firebender creating a child together was strange. It had never been done before. It was the same as an airbender trying to conceive with an earthbender. It was just not possible. Most of the children born in the world had been either of the same nation or of two of the other nations, never with its natural opposite. The fight for domination between the elements' spirits had put the babe under an incredible amount of stress, which later became apparent when Katara gave birth. The only thing that was completely odd was the fact that she had gone through a full term of nine months and never showed _any_ sign of complications. She even went into labor on her _exact_ predicted due date. The last few months of the pregnancy are when the babe's _true_ element is decided; if he or she is destined to be a bender. This was what the Spirits were fighting over. At least, that's what they were told—in theory. After, the couple was told that they had to wait a while until they were able to try again. But, ever since, it seemed impossible for Katara to conceive, despite their best efforts. She had been pretty upset about it, but lately she had been happier and more joyful about almost _everything_. Zuko did not want to ruin that with his pessimistic thoughts.

"I wonder if Uncle has heard the news yet. We have to meet him soon for our morning tea, anyway. We should tell him. He'll be so excited!" Katara said quickly as she headed for the washroom to bathe and get dressed. Zuko knew that she would take a while and decided to start dressing also.

When she returned, he was in the process of pulling his hair back into a top knot, but he was struggling quite a bit due to the lingering pain in his back and arms. He was cursing inwardly at himself for doing away with the whole tradition of servants catering to and staying attentive to the dressings of the royal family. At the time, it had seemed appropriate because after so long of doing it himself, it would just seem odd having someone else doing it for them… Either way, he was still having issues with it. Katara noticed quickly.

"A little help?" he asked, giving her a pleading look.

"_Sure_. I know exactly what the problem is. Why Fire Lord Zuko, are you admitting to being a _sore_ loser?" she said, smirking at him from the doorway, giving him a faux pitied look. Zuko dropped his hands from his hair, giving up with a loud huff. He frowned and nodded slowly, wincing at the slight pain in his stiff neck. He did not look at her.

Katara chuckled and turned back into the washroom only to return back to the room with a pitcher full of water. She walked across the room towards Zuko and placed the pitcher gently on the bedside table. She quickly bended the water out of the pitcher in a stream and it covered her hand in what looked like a glove. She placed her hand against the middle of his back as well as his lower back, his shoulders, ending with his neck. Every time her hand came in contact with his skin, that water would glow a faint whitish-blue. When she was finished and the water had returned to its transparent color, she bended the water back into the pitcher quietly without a word. Zuko let out a satisfied groan, rolling his shoulders back without any aches or pain. Katara quickly pulled his hair back into the top knot that he had failed to achieve minutes earlier.

As she tied off the ribbon and placed his Fire Lord's royal hair dressing at the top of it, she stood up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "All you had to do was ask." She placed a quick kiss on his cheek and grabbed his hand, pulling them both out of the chambers in the direction of the courtyard to meet Iroh.

It was on rare occasions that Iroh came back to the Fire Nation to visit his nephew and new niece, but every time that he _did_ decide to come, intent on only staying a few days—much to Katara's dismay—they would hold little get-togethers and drink tea. It was becoming a tradition for every time he visited. Katara loved having Iroh as company. Although, at first, she found it quite strange to call him "Uncle" instead of "Iroh" or "General Iroh", but after he insisted, she kind of just got used to it. She loved hearing all of the stories that he would tell including that of old Fire Nation legends (which Zuko usually dozed off in the middle of. He had heard them all before) and newer stories of his tea shop in Ba Sing Se. Just having Iroh there, it seemed to complete the Palace; even more so than it seems when it is just her and her husband.

When they reached the garden, Iroh was seated pleasantly and very neatly on the ground with all of the tea making implements in front of him. He was just beginning to poor the first cup when they came within sight. He smiled as he noticed them approaching.

"Good morning, Uncle," Katara said politely. She took her seat in front of him as he handed her the cup of steaming tea.

"Good morning, Lady Katara. And good morning to you, as well, young Fire Lord," he said as Zuko sat down next to Katara, looking back and forth between the two.

Sighing and shaking his head, Zuko answered gently, "Good morning, Uncle." Iroh handed him his cup of tea and began to poor his own.

"So, Uncle, is there any news of your tea shop?" Katara asked, making conversation.

"Actually, there is not. The Jasmine Dragon has not had as much publicity as it used to. After all, the war _is_ over and the people of Ba Sing Se are free to roam the world as they please. I still have a few recurring customers, but not many. I expect that more people will come back and visit though, as we do live in a world of peace, now," Iroh said, smiling at his nephew. Zuko gave a brief smile back.

"You are right, Uncle Iroh. We do live in a state of peace, now," Katara said, twining her fingers with Zuko's.

"What about you two? Have you any news?" Iroh asked, taking a polite sip from his tea.

"We personally don't have any news, Uncle, but we do in fact have some _other_ news to share…" Katara trailed off, getting excited again.

"And what is this other news?" Iroh asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Zuko and I were informed this morning that Suki and my brother, Sokka—you remember them, don't you? You were at their wedding? Anyway, we received a message from them this morning, and we found out that they are expecting! Suki is pregnant!" Katara said, attempting to refrain from squealing as she did before.

"First of all, I do remember your brother and his bride, Katara. I may be old, but my memory has not completely left me, yet," he said, smiling. "Second, that is terrific news. The Southern Water Tribe is doing well."

"I think _I'm_ more excited than _they_ are," Katara answered, returning the smile.

"I'm sure they are _just_ as excited," Iroh said, nodding.

Katara was so ecstatic that her tea was forgotten and was left to get cold in her hands with only a few sips taken from it. She took another small sip—not knowing of its new temperature—and noticed the sudden coolness of her tea and flinched in surprise. "Ugh! Tea is _not _good cold." Iroh nodded in agreement, saying nothing. Zuko politely took the cup from her hands, held it in his for a second or two, and when a light steam rose from the liquid again, he gently handed her the cup back.

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him, taking another sip, this time with much more pleasure. He gave a brief smile back and quickly returned to his private thoughts, looking away from her. Iroh smiled at the small exchange.

Staying completely silent, Zuko drank his tea, staring past his uncle and over to the turtle-duck pond. Iroh noticed this and decided to ask: "What is troubling you, my nephew? You have been silent the majority of our conversation."

The sudden question snapped Zuko out of his reverie and he answered quietly, "Nothing is troubling me, Uncle. If you'll excuse me…" He placed his cup on the ground and began thanking Iroh for the tea when Katara stopped him.

"Zuko, what's—"

"Nothing is wrong, Katara," he cut in, not letting her finish.

She turned her head up when he stood, hoping for a quick peck, but all she received was a light kiss on her forehead. With that, Zuko turned and walked back through the palace doors. Looking after him she said, "He's a terrible liar." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Uncle Iroh."

Iroh smiled. "There is nothing to apologize for, Katara. As you know, my nephew has suffered much, and he still finds it difficult to discuss what he is feeling; even if it is his wife of three years that asks."

Katara sighed, standing up. "Thank you for the tea, Uncle. It was delicious."

"You are very welcome, Katara."

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

"No, I'm afraid not. I'm sorry, but I really do need to be getting back to my tea shop."

"Well, until next time, then?" Katara asked, smiling.

"Until next time, my lady," he answered, nodding once in what looked like a bow. "Go speak with him."

With that said, and after one final farewell, she turned and walked back into the palace in search of her husband.

* * *

After both searches in his study and in the throne room ended in vain, Katara finally found Zuko in their chambers. He was standing on the balcony, looking out at the Capital City, his back facing her.

When she approached him, he did not move. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his shoulder blade. His entire body felt tense, stiff.

Placing a light kiss to his shoulder, she asked, "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," he lied, still staring out into the city. His eyes scanned the buildings as if he was looking for one specific thing to look at, something to capture his attention; something that was wrong; something to change the conversation, and quickly.

She squeezed around his waist. "Zuko, I've known you long enough to know when something is upsetting you. I'm your _wife _for Spirits' sake! Please. Tell me?"

"I can't," he said, breaking out of her grasp with ease. He turned and walked back through the curtains and into the bedroom. Katara followed.

"And why not?" she asked.

Zuko sat down at the edge of the bed, burying his face in hands. She stood in front of him, her knees almost touching his. He felt her gaze on him, begging for an answer he did not want to give. When he didn't speak, she tried again.

"Zuko? Why not?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

He sighed, "Because telling you would only make you upset, and I don't want that." He still held his face in his hands, refusing to look at her.

She kneeled in front of him, her knees mere inches from his feet, and tried to pry his hands from his face, failing miserably. "I don't care. Please tell me," she said quietly.

Zuko sighed, dropping his hands; he finally looked at her, staring into her eyes. He held her gaze for a moment before looking to the floor.

"My entire life has been filled with strife. You know that. First everything with my father, my mother's disappearance. Then there was my involvement in the war—hunting Aang; joining your group; Sozin's Comet. And then there was my coronation for when I became Fire Lord, and then there was being with you. Things were looking up. It was as if the Spirits had said, _Hey, Zuko! Here's the life that you've always wanted! _But then everything came crashing down when the riots started…" He looked away.

Katara blinked. "The assassination attempts? What do they have to do with anything? I thought you handled all of that…?"

Zuko stole a quick glance to her face. "Let me finish!"

She nodded. "I'm sorry. Go on."

"The riots started. People came out into the streets screaming that they wanted me dead! They broke into our home, Katara. You remember that? Hearing the shattering windows and broken down doors in the middle of the night? The screams?"

"Yes, I remember," she whispered.

"They haunted my dreams, Katara. They still do. You don't know because you're always sleeping so heavily when they happen. I wake up in a cold sweat, shivering. But I don't understand why that is because I always feel so hot—too hot. I always feel like I am about to burst into flames, combust or something. My hands are clammy, my mouth is dry, and I feel as though I could vomit."

"Does this still happen?"

Zuko shook his head slowly. "Not as much as it used to, no. But it still happens, and when it does... It's bad. _Really_ bad."

"Why didn't you tell me about this? How often do they happen?"

"I don't know, Katara! That's not the point!" Zuko shouted, his hands weaving themselves into his hair, nearly tearing it out by the roots.

"Then what is?" Katara asked quietly.

Zuko huffed. "Every time something good happens in my life, something has to ruin it."

Katara's jaw dropped. "What?"

He inhaled deeply. "Every time something good happens—or makes me happy—something just _has_ to come and ruin it. _Every time!_"

Katara placed her hands on his knees in an attempt to calm him down. She felt the heat radiating off of him and was afraid his clothing would catch fire. She moved her hands back and forth across his knees, soothing.

Zuko took a deep breath and continued, still not meeting her eyes, his hands hiding his face. "Then we got rid of the riots. The threats stopped coming and everything was back to normal. We were happy again. And then, you brought me into the library, and told me we were expecting a baby…" he chuckled, the most optimistic sound reaching Katara's ears as he spoke. "When you told me that, I—I can't even _express_ how happy I was. I'd never expected to be that excited about being a father, especially due to my upbringing. But I _was_. I was excited, eager to be a father. I had finally thought that everything was going to be okay in my life—that all of the bad things had stopped, gone away. But I was wrong…" He let out a heavy sigh, like he was having trouble breathing.

"Zuko? It's okay," Katara said gently, placing a hand on his arm. Her other hand came up to loosen his from his hair. "Talk to me."

He took a deep breath, meeting her gaze. "When you read that letter, and told me Sokka and Suki were expecting, all I could think about was your miscarriage. Seeing you so excited about Suki reminded me of how you were when you told me that _you_ were pregnant. I remembered how excited you were when we told Uncle, and when _you_ were the one writing messages to family. You were practically _glowing_ with happiness; with carrying _my _child. _Our_ child.

"But then, all I could think about was how upset you were when you were informed of the stillbirth. And how upset _I_ was. Our baby had _died_. _Our son_… In a way, I blame myself for that happening. It was _my_ fault you got pregnant in the first place. And now, you can't even _get_ pregnant. Honestly, how many times had we tried after that? I'll answer for you: _too many_. You can't conceive again. It's too obvious. Having that miscarriage _did _something to your insides; messed you up or something. That's because of _me_. It's _my_ fault; _all _my fault. If you were married off with another Water Tribe man, a man of your own element, the baby wouldn't have been put under all of that stress. But you chose _me_, for reasons I don't even _know_, and now it's becoming clear that it's because of me! If I wasn't of Fire Nation blood, with such hatred in my veins from my _destructive_ element…" He took another deep breath, a sob escaping him. "If you were married to a Water Tribe man, you would probably be so much better off. You would be happy, with a bunch of children running around. You would have everything you've always wanted. But, because of me—"

Katara grasped his shoulders tightly, ducking her head so she could see his face. "Zuko. You did nothing wrong. Nothing is your fault. You _have _to realize that. And I don't want a Water Tribe man! That's why I chose _you_!" she stressed, squeezing him so he could get the message. "Don't _ever_ think what happened to our baby was because of you—_ever!_"

Zuko swallowed the lump in his throat. "When you read that letter, the only thing I could think was how I wished that that was _our _news to share; that _you_ were pregnant with _my_ child. _Our_ baby. But I know that can never happen. I am happy for Sokka and Suki. I am. I swear. But I still just wish…" His voice trailed off, cracking in a couple places during his last sentence. There were tears in his eyes, threatening to fall, and they were reflected in Katara's eyes. His broken heart became hers.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace. He fought the tears that now stung his eyes and his entire body shook with every breath that he took. Katara was stunned. She had not known how badly that incident had hurt him emotionally. Personally, she had almost forgotten. He apparently remembered enough for the both of them.

Zuko was coming close to hyperventilation and Katara hushed him, rubbing his back in calming circles. She had never seen Zuko like this. In fact, she had _never_ even seen him cry before in her life. If he ever did, he did it somewhere she couldn't see, couldn't hear. She hushed him again as another shudder went through his body.

After a few minutes, his breathing returned to a normal pace. She continued to hush him and rub his back soothingly as if he were a small child who had just awoke from a terrible nightmare. In truth, this _was _a nightmare. When she felt him stop shaking, she turned her head slightly and kissed him on the cheek before returning her head to his shoulder, her chin resting there gently.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were feeling this way?" she asked quietly.

She felt him shake his head. "I didn't know how to. You had seemed so happy lately… I didn't want to ruin it your good mood."

She let him out of her embrace and grasped his face in between her hands. "Zuko, I love you. With all of my heart. Nothing will ever change that. I don't care what it is, if something is bothering you, you need to tell me. I hate seeing you like this, okay?" She punctuated her sentence by kissing him on the lips as if to prove her point, wiping the tears from his cheeks with her thumbs. More tears followed.

She let go of his face and he sniffed again. She looked at him with a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried, tilting her head so she could see his eyes. He was staring down at the space between his feet as if he was trying to memorize the patterns of the intricate flooring. He nodded, leaning forward to gently capture her lips with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. They broke apart in need for air.

He pressed his forehead against hers, breathing deeply. "I love you, Katara," he whispered.

"I love you, too. I always will," she replied, hugging his shoulders.

After a few moments, he finally spoke.

"What time is it?" he suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

She quickly glanced at the spark candle on the bedside table. "Looks like a little after noon. Why? Do you have any meetings today?" she asked.

"Just a few. If it's after noon, I should probably get down to the conference room _now_," he answered. He stood up and started to stretch. He wiped his face of the remaining tears that Katara had missed. She stood up as well and went around him to sit on her side of the bed.

"Okay, well, I'll see you at dinner, right?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so. Sorry. I'll see you later tonight, though." He looked at her briefly, but then his eyes shot to the spark candle. "I should get going. The meeting is going to start soon."

"Well, then, you should quit stalling, and get down there, my lord," she said, smiling. "You wouldn't want to keep the generals waiting."

Zuko glared at her, but then went around the bed like she had and stood in front of her. "You're just lucky that I love you. Otherwise, you would pay for that," he said, pecking her lips quickly. She caught the sarcasm in his voice.

"Uh, huh. _Sure_ I would. My apologies, _Fire Lord Zuko_," she said, bowing her head. He chuckled and shook his head back and forth. She giggled and finished, the concerned expression returning to her face, "Now, are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just an emotional moment, that's all," he shrugged, rubbing his right eye as if to hide some more lingering tears.

"If you keep rubbing your eye like that, it's going to get irritated," she stated, flatly, shaking her head. He gave her an annoyed glance. "Don't come crying to me when your eye hurts tomorrow. That's all I'm saying," she finished with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I said I'm fine. No worries," he said, rolling his eyes at her.

"_Okay_. Well, I'll see you later tonight, then."

"Wait for me," he said as he walked over to the door.

"No promises," she said with a mischievous smirk, laughing. He responded by pointing a finger at her as if to scold her for her comment before he left the room. This only made her laugh harder.

* * *

Later that night, after the meeting had ended with little success, Zuko returned to the bed chambers to find Katara sleeping peacefully. He chuckled to himself as he watched her. He quickly stripped himself of his royal attire and returned from the washroom wearing nothing but a pair of loose pants. He climbed into bed quietly and Katara rolled onto her side, her back facing him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in close.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her cheek lightly.

He had thought she didn't hear him but thought otherwise as she took a deep breath and whispered her reply, "I love you, too."

"I thought you were going to wait for me," he said, smirking, his face pressed into her shoulder.

She opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder so she could see his face. "I did, but then I got kind of bored with just sitting here, so I went to bed," she said, matter-of-factly, as if she was trying to justify why she was sleeping when he returned.

"Are you still bored?" he asked, playing along.

"No. Not really," she said.

"Are you tired? You can sleep," he told her gently.

"Maybe a little," she answered. She rolled again until she was on her back, making it so that she could see him better without the strain her neck. She placed a hand on the side of his face lovingly.

"Are you okay?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence. She stroked the edge of his scar with her thumb, waiting for a reply.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered quietly, closing his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her gentle touches.

"I'd hate to think you're lying to me," she stated. He opened his eyes and watched her.

"Don't worry. It was just a lapse of emotion. Really, I'm fine."

"You're sure of that?" Her eyes searched his.

"I'm sure. Sorry to unload all of that on you," he said, his lips brushing the inside of her hand. "I felt so guilty at the meeting today."

"I'm pretty sure you have other things on your plate that are far more important than that." She managed a smile and shrugged. "It's my job to care. Don't worry about it."

He leaned down, hesitant to kiss her as if she was going to push him away. When she didn't, he pressed his lips against hers, enjoying the sensation that her lips created while moving with his as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He continued kissing her, rolling gently until he was hovering over her. His lips left hers only to meet the skin of her cheek, moving south to her jaw, and continuing further down to her neck and collarbone. When he hit a ticklish spot, she giggled.

"I've missed that sound," he breathed into her skin, his lips tickling her flesh once again as they moved in time with his words.

"It feels good to laugh, considering everything," she answered quietly. She took his face between her hands and gently coaxed his lips back up to meet hers.

Pulling out of her kiss, Zuko placed his head on her chest, listening to her breathing and heartbeat. He hummed in contentment, closing his eyes and snuggling closer to her.

Katara absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair. "Sleep, now. It's been a rough day, but things _can _and _will _get better. I promise," she whispered, mimicking his exact words to her from almost three years ago.

Truth be told, when he spoke those words to her all those years ago, following the devastating news, she had willed herself to believe him. With every fiber of her being, she wanted to believe him. Eventually, she had. But, now, as she lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, holding him as he slept, relaying the same message through whispered words and touches, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2: Memories

******Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

******Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

*****Please note: this chapter is a MAJOR flashback chapter in order to fill in holes in how Katara and Zuko began their relationship. Each flashback is indicated by italic font, and they are separated by a line across the screen so there is no confusion between time periods, as will be the formatting any time I have flashbacks in this story. I realize that many of these flashbacks are directly from the original series, and many of you will immediately recognize them. They are there solely because I believe that they are essential to the Zutara storyline that I have come up with. However, some of them are of my own creation and manipulation, and I hope you enjoy them.*****

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Memories**

* * *

Katara woke before Zuko slowly, silently. It was early in the morning; the sun was just beginning to show its face through the curtains. She thought it strange that she woke before her husband, but after last night, she couldn't really blame him; he needed his rest. Even still, waking up before a Firebender just didn't seem right to her. She could not explain why.

She turned toward him and saw that he was facing her, sleeping soundly. She took a mental note of his appearance: the covers were pulled up to his waist, his chest moving up and down from his breathing. His arm was bent, serving as a pillow for his head while the other rested lazily against the mattress. His hair was in his face, nearly covering the entire left side of it; the single strand that hung at the tip of his nose moved back and forth in time with his deep breaths. As soon as Katara noticed this, she smiled. He needed to get his hair trimmed, and soon. Zuko usually had his hair cut shorter whenever it passed the length it was at the time of his coronation. With it any longer, he believed that he looked too much like Ozai. Even though it was a very emotional and somewhat touchy topic for him to discuss, his father, Katara still found this notion to be humorous. He was _nothing_ like his father, and she was positive of that.

Katara let out a quiet chuckle at where her thoughts had taken her. As she did, Zuko rolled slowly to his other side, his back facing her. She sighed at his actions. It was as if he subconsciously knew that his appearance was being evaluated while he slept.

Looking back, she had never thought she would be living this life. She was raised as a Southern Water Tribe peasant. How could she possibly be living this life—living in the Fire Nation; married to the Fire Lord; becoming Fire Lady; being best friends with the Avatar… _How did that happen?_

* * *

_He was standing there in front of them. They could sense his nervousness. _Why was he here? He couldn't be telling the truth. He is the enemy!

_ "I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!" he shouted, bringing his hands up in the air and taking a step forward. He stopped when the Water Tribe boy pointed a boomerang at him._

_ "Either _you_ leave, or _we_ attack," Sokka said._

_ Zuko closed his eyes in defeat. "If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner." He kneeled in front of the group, holding his wrists out as if waiting for the shackles and chains._

_ "No. We _won't_!" Katara yelled, bending a wave of water in his direction. He was forced back, grunting at the impact. He turned to look up at them again, soaking wet. "Get out of here and _don't_ come back. And if we ever see you _again_—well, we _better _not see you again!" She could not think of any other threat to give._

_ He looked up at them in surprise before lowering his head. Without another word, he stood up from the puddle of water and walked away, his shoes making a sloshing noise with every step. Their eyes followed him with angry stares._

* * *

_They were gathered all together; Aang in the front, Katara on his left, Sokka on his right, and Toph was sitting on a rock behind him. Zuko walked towards them before stopping just a few feet away from the Avatar._

_ Aang looked down, thinking of the words he wanted to say. "I can't believe I'm saying this but… Thanks Zuko."_

_ Sokka raised his arms up in a hero-like pose. "Hey, what about me? I did the boomerang thing."_

_ "Listen. I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot in the past few years and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that—somehow—my father could return it to me. But I know, now, that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war. And I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world," Zuko said. He looked at Toph and bowed the way a Firebending student would bow to his Master. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild. So as a Firebender, I need to be more careful, and control my bending, so I don't hurt people unintentionally."_

_ Aang thought for a second before saying, "I think you _are _supposed to be my Firebending teacher." He walked forward a few steps and motioned to the girl at his left as he spoke. "When I first tried to learn Firebending, I burned Katara. And after that, I never wanted to Firebend again. But, now, I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love…" He bowed. "I'd like _you_ to teach me."_

_ Zuko smiled and bowed back. "Thank you. I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group," he said. His smile quickly faded when Aang spoke again._

_ "Not so fast. I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them." Aang turned, looking at his Earthbending teacher. "Toph. You're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"_

_ Toph answered from her perch on the rock, "Go ahead and let him join. It will give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet." She punched her hand, smiling. Aang moved on to the next person. Zuko stayed silent._

_ "Sokka?" he asked._

_ "Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord. If this is the way you think we should do it, then, I'm all for it," Sokka said, shrugging. Aang nodded and moved on._

_ "Katara?" he asked quietly. _

_Katara looked away from the Airbender and glared at Zuko. Beads of sweat began to run down his face. She closed her eyes, opened them and looked at Aang again. "I'll go along with whatever _you_ think is right," she said, acid in her tone. Aang smiled._

_"I won't let you down! I promise!" Zuko said joyfully, walking forward. Katara was the first to turn and leave and Aang followed her. Sokka turned and gently picked Toph up from the rock, carrying her away, leaving the Firebender standing alone._

* * *

_She came up to the door and saw that he was unpacking his things. He had gently picked up a picture and Katara quickly recognized the face of his uncle—General Iroh. She continued to watch him as he smiled at the picture, more than likely remembering something that he had said long ago. His face dropped and she knew that she had been caught; he had felt her presence behind him. He turned and smiled at her, but that smile quickly faded when he noticed the expression on her face._

_She was not happy, the acid from before was still in her voice. "You might have everyone else here buying your '_transformation', _but you and I _both _know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past." She walked forward until she was in front of him, her face inches from his. "So let me tell you something, _right now_. You make _one_ step backward—one slip-up. Give me _one _reason to think that you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny _anymore_. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends _right _then and there. _Permanently_," she stated flatly. _

_Katara turned away from him, walked out of the room, and shut the door behind her without another word, leaving the Firebender in silence._

* * *

_"Wow. Camping. It really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" the Airbender said matter-of-factly. They were sitting around a campfire, talking quietly, finally at peace since Azula's surprise attack from earlier that morning._

_"If you _really_ want it to feel like old times, I could, uh…chase you around a while and try to capture you," Zuko said as he tore a piece of bread in half and held it to his mouth, smirking. Everyone around the fire laughed. Katara was the exception._

_"Ha, ha," she said in a flat voice, sarcastic. No one had seemed to hear her._

_Sokka, who was still recovering from the laughter stated, "To Zuko. Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today, he'd be our hero!" He raised his cup in the air in a toast._

_"Here, here!" the group said simultaneously. The rest of the cups were raised as the toast was made. Aang and Toph both gave Zuko a friendly punch in the arm._

_"I'm touched. I don't deserve this," he said._

_"Yeah, no kidding," Katara said, glaring at him. She stood and began to walk away. She could still hear them conversing behind her as she went._

_"What's with _her_?" Sokka asked, confused._

_"I wish I knew," Zuko said quietly. She heard him stand and begin walking in the same direction that she had gone; only slower, more cautious._

_"What's with _him_?" Sokka asked, confused again._

* * *

_She was sitting on a rock near the edge of the cliff, looking out over the ocean, gazing at the full moon. When she heard him approaching, she turned, looked at him, and glared._

_She had stood and begun to walk away when he spoke. "This isn't fair. Everyone else seems to trust me now. What is it with you?" he asked, following her with his eyes._

_She turned and looked at him, anger in her voice. "Oh, 'everyone _trusts_ you now'? I was the first person to trust you, remember? Back in Ba Sing Se." She pointed out to the ocean as if to say the city was right behind her. "And you turned around and betrayed me—betrayed _all of us_."_

_His face came together in a sneer that quickly disappeared. "What can I do to make it up to you?" he asked innocently, afraid of the answer he was about to receive._

_She walked toward him, still angry. "You really want to know? Hmm. Maybe you could re-conquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King—or_ I_ know. You could bring my _mother_ back!" she yelled, her face only a few inches from his._

_She shrugged past him and walked back to the camp, leaving him alone._

* * *

_Katara woke quietly, just as the sun was beginning to rise. As she pulled back the flap of her tent to walk outside, she saw a figure sitting directly across from her. It was Zuko. She crossed her arms quickly and sneered at him. He raised his head and looked at her with an exhausted expression on his face._

_"You look terrible," she noted, her voice uncaring. She walked around him to retrieve her whale-tooth comb from her bag._

_He stood up behind her. "I waited out here all night," he said, rubbing his eye._

_She didn't seem impressed. "Well, what do you want?"_

_"I know who killed your mother. And I'm going to help you find him," he said in a serious voice. _Was he kidding? Why would he want to do something like that?

_Katara turned around from combing her hair to look in his eyes. The seriousness was there, too. _But why would he want to help her find her mother's killer? Why?

* * *

_They were standing in front of the door. Water enveloped her hands and arms. She was ready to do what she must. She had _no_ fear._

_"This is it, Katara. Are you ready to face him?" Zuko asked in an intense voice. _

_Without a word, she brought the cloth down from her mouth and sent the water rushing at the door, breaking it down. Zuko quickly jumped in front of her and dodged the oncoming flames._

_The man in armor jumped back when Zuko sent flames at his feet. "Who are you?" he asked in an angry voice._

_Zuko remained in his fighting stance. "You don't remember her? You will soon. _Trust me_." Another flame came from his fist, directed at the man who turned around, blocking it. As he spun around, fire started at the end of his fist, but was quickly diminished when his arm suddenly became rigid and began moving on its own accord—like it had a mind of its own._

_"What's—happening to me?" the man asked as he was brought to the ground. Katara stood in a familiar stance, controlling the blood in the man's body—Bloodbending. He was now her puppet, her slave._

_Zuko stood from his fighting stance and looked at Katara. When he noticed it was she that was making the man do this, his eyes shot wide open, frightened. He quickly recovered and turned back to the man on the floor. When he spoke, his voice was harsh. "Think back. Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe."_

_"I don't know what you're talking about. Please. I don't know," the man said, struggling to speak._

_Zuko got down on his hands and knees in front of the man and shouted, "Don't lie! You look her in the eye and you _tell _me you don't remember what you did!" He pointed to the Waterbender who raised her arms in a specific way that made the man follow, raising up on his knees, looking directly at her._

_They stared into each other's eyes for a moment until, suddenly, the intense look on Katara's face faded. "It's not him. He's not the man," she said, surprised. She dropped her arms and the man fell to the floor._

_"What? What do you mean he's not? He's the leader of the Southern Raiders. He _has_ to be the guy!" Zuko said from the floor._

_ Katara turned, her back facing them. Zuko took the man by the arm and pushed him against the window. "If you're not the man we're looking for, who is?" he asked._

_ "You must be looking for Yon Rha. He retired four years ago."_

_ Zuko turned his head and saw Katara walking out of the room, saying nothing._

* * *

_Lightning flashed in the distance as the rain became heavier, coming down from the now dark-clouded sky—the perfect setting for this moment._

_ "She lied to you. She was protecting the last Waterbender," Katara stated in an angry voice, looking away from the man on the ground._

_ He was surprised. "What? Who?" Yon Rha asked._

_ Anger returned to Katara's face and she looked at him again. "Me!" she screamed. _

_Katara raised her arms up and the rain around them seemed to float in mid-air. Somewhat of a bubble formed around them and Zuko looked up, pulling the cloth from his face, eyeing the water above him. Katara moved her arms in what looked like a strange dance and the water around them formed into sharp icicles, aiming strait for Yon Rha. He brought his arms up in a poor excuse of a defensive position, readying himself for his punishment. There was a cracking noise, then silence. Yon Rha lowered his arms and looked up in surprise. The ice daggers had stopped in the air, a few feet from his face, some of them already puncturing the ground next to him. Katara stood frozen, her hand out as she held them steady before lowering her arms. The ice returned back to its liquid form and splashed to the ground._

_ Yon Rha rose up on his knees and began to beg. "I did a bad thing; I know I did. And you deserve revenge. So why don't you take _my_ mother. That would be fair," he said, looking up at Katara pleadingly._

_ "I always wondered what kind of person would do such a thing," Katara said. Zuko stayed silent behind her. "But now that I see you, I think I understand. There's just _nothing_ inside you. Nothing _at all_. You're _pathetic_ and _sad_ and _empty_."_

_ "Please, spare me," Yon Rha said, shaking with fear._

_ "But as much as I hate you, I just can't do it," Katara said, closing her eyes, ashamed. Yon Rha smiled weakly._

_ Zuko walked up from behind and looked at Katara briefly before she turned and walked away. He glared down at Yon Rha for a moment before turning around and following her, leaving the man to cry by himself on the ground._

* * *

_Appa flew overhead as the sun was beginning to set. Katara sat at the edge of the pier, splashing her feet back and forth in the water, thinking quietly to herself. Aang approached from behind—running—and Zuko followed close behind at a steady walk._

_"Katara, are you okay?" Aang asked, worried, as he got closer to the girl._

_"I'm doing fine," Katara answered in a low voice._

_"Zuko told me about what you did—or what you _didn't_ do, I guess. I'm proud of you," Aang said, smiling. Zuko remained silent._

_"I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I _couldn't. _I don't know if it's because I'm too _weak_ to do it, or if it's because I'm s_trong_ enough _not_ to," Katara said, closing her eyes and lowering her head._

_Aang tried to comfort her further. "You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing."_

_The Waterbender stood and faced her pupil. "But I _didn't_ forgive him. I'll _never_ forgive him." She looked at the Firebender with a small smile. "But I _am_ ready to forgive _you_," she said, quietly. She walked closer to Zuko and stood in front of him briefly before throwing her arms around his shoulders in an embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight until she backed away. Stepping back, Katara smiled at him again and began walking back up the pier in the direction of the Avatar's bison._

* * *

_Katara was crying, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she sat on the same rock she had before, looking up at the moon. Her entire body shook as she cried. She heard someone approaching, but did not acknowledge them. She had figured it was Aang, but he was the _last _person she wanted to talk to._

_ She was about to turn and tell him to go away when she heard her name being spoken in a deep voice, "Katara?"_

_ She turned around and was surprised to see Zuko approaching her with a worried look on his face. He saw the tears on her cheeks, shining in the moonlight. "Katara, are you okay?" he asked._

_ She sniffed and turned away from him again. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. He didn't buy it._

_ "I don't believe you," he said simply. He sat on the rock next to her before she could say any different._

_ "What are you doing here, Zuko? What do you want?" she asked, turning her head so he couldn't see her face._

_ "Well, I was sleeping, and I heard you crying, so I came up here to see if you were okay," he explained, trying to meet her gaze. "What's the matter?"_

_ "I said 'I'm fine'. Okay? You don't have to worry about me. Just go away, Zuko," she said._

_ "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong," he said sternly._

_ She sighed and turned toward him, finally meeting his gaze. "_I'm a failure_. Okay?"_

_ He seemed confused. "How are you a 'failure'?" She didn't answer, only started crying again. "Why are you a 'failure', Katara?" he repeated, genuine concern in his voice._

_ She sniffed and looked at him again. "Should I have done it, Zuko? Should I have gotten revenge on Yon Rha? Did I do the right thing by _not_ killing him?" she asked, more tears flowing from her eyes._

_ "Katara like Aang said, _you did the right thing_. I know you wanted revenge, but, you were strong enough to resist," Zuko said, putting a shy arm around her shoulders. He seemed hesitant, as if he was expecting her to shrug it off and yell at him for touching her. His surprise was obvious when she leaned into him, seeking the warmth and comfort he was offering. When she didn't say anything, he continued, "After doing that, you actually think of yourself as a '_failure'_? You're _not_ a failure, Katara. You're anything _but_ that."_

_ She looked up at him with tears still streaming down her face. "Why are you here, Zuko?" she asked._

_ "Because I know how much you are hurting right now, Katara. I've been through it. And I hate to see people I care about being upset and crying with no one to console them," he said quietly, his arm giving her a light squeeze around her shoulders. "But I stand by what I said: You're not a failure."_

_ "Why did you want to help me, Zuko? No one has _ever_ done something like that for me before, and you are the _last_ person I would _ever_ think of who would want to do something like that. Why?" she asked suddenly. She looked up at him again. The question remained in her eyes, begging for an answer._

_ "The truth?" he asked innocently._

_ She nodded slowly, seriously. "Yes, please."_

_ He sighed. "I wanted to help because I want you to trust me, Katara. I know how you feel about my being here, and I wanted to change that in a _good_ way, I guess," he told her, looking away toward the ocean._

_ "Well, did I ever say 'thank you'?" Katara asked, straightening up on the rock. Her entire attitude seemed to change in one sentence. Zuko noticed this and quickly became confused._

_ He looked at her, trying to decipher the tone in her voice. It was unfamiliar, suspicious. "No. You didn't."_

_ Katara leaned forward, and before Zuko could react, her lips brushed his lightly before finally pressing against them in a kiss. It was a loving kiss; not like anything she had experienced before—warm, passionate. She felt as if he was about to pull away when he suddenly came back for more. He began to respond to her lips, pressing his mouth back to hers with the same gentle force that she had, kissing her back. His hands came up to cup her face, and her arms found their way around his neck, holding him there. After what seemed like an eternity, Katara pulled back with a smile on her face, some of the tears still lingering on her cheeks. Zuko wiped them away with his thumbs._

_ "Thank you," Katara said, smiling a wide smile before pecking his lips again. "For everything."_

_ Zuko swallowed hard, the lump in his throat unmoving, permanent. She knew that the realization had just hit him—hard. He struggled to find his words. "I—I think I should go back to camp, now," he said, extracting himself from the confinement of Katara's arms._

_ He began to stand up—awkwardly—from the rock and started in the direction of camp when Katara's hand lashed out and grabbed his arm. He stopped and looked at her face. It was sad again, pleading…_

_"No. Please don't go. I don't want to be alone," she said, tears falling from her eyes again. When she saw that he wasn't going anywhere, she released her grasp on his arm. Her eyes glued to his, waiting for his reaction to her dejected, heart-broken words, waiting for his next move._

_ Zuko looked into her eyes for a brief moment before giving up with a sigh. "You _really_ don't want to be alone?"_

_Katara shook her head (a quick back and forth motion that, when watching from a distance, one might acknowledge her to be one of the mentally insane). "No. Please, no. Don't leave. _Please_."_

_ Zuko sighed again, "Okay. Why don't you come and stay in my tent with me? _That _way,_ I_ can sleep, and _you _won't be alone," he said. He paused as if he was reading through his choice of words in his head, and his face twitched momentarily before his eyes returned to hers. He looked relieved when he saw the obvious look of joy on her face. "Really? Can I?" she asked innocently._

_ "Yeah, come on," he said, offering her his hand._

_ Katara took his hand gently and noticed the soothing warmth that his skin created. She stood up and followed him towards his tent, wiping her remaining tears on his sleeve as they went. Zuko offered the bedroll to Katara—which she took without another word, just a light smile—and slept on the ground next to her. He fell asleep first—fairly quickly to her surprise—and she watched him silently, thinking over what had just happened; of their exchange out on the rock. Before long, she, too, had fallen into a deep sleep with the Firebender by her side…_

* * *

_They had returned from the play—that _horrible_ play. They were all sitting on the courtyard steps, eating and talking quietly amongst themselves, attempting not to bring up anything about their experience that lasted the previous few hours. The group had finished eating and everyone was all off to their separate rooms of the house for bed. Zuko was getting up to leave as well when Katara stopped him._

_"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, looking up at him from her perch on one of the steps._

_He nodded and took a seat next to her. "What's up?"_

_"It's about the play…" She trailed off, knowing what he was going to say next._

_"I thought we weren't going to talk about it," he said, confused._

_"I know, but, it's really important," she reasoned. He said nothing, only nodded. She continued after a moment of silence. "I want to talk about what the actors said about, well, 'us'," she said, playing with her hair._

_He didn't seem surprised. "Okay. What about what they said?"_

_"I—I think they were _right_," she said, looking away from him._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I think they were right about us having feelings for each other. I mean, think of what happened the other night out by that cliff," she said. She turned to look at him and found that he was staring straight forward, remembering. "Do _you_ think they were right?"_

_He looked back at her; her beautiful face. He found himself leaning in, and just when his mouth was inches from hers, he whispered, "Yeah. I think so." He leaned in further, finally pressing his lips to hers softly._

_She responded to him almost immediately, pressing her lips to his with just as much force. When his warm hands came up to caress her face, her thoughts wandered to a certain person—Aang. The image of his face came to her mind and she pulled away._

_"What?" he asked, confused by her sudden retreat._

_She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the Avatar's image. "I can't," she whispered._

_"What do you mean, 'you can't'?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "You were the one who kissed _me_ the other night. Remember?"_

_"Yeah, I know. It's just… It's—It's Aang." She had trouble finding the right words to explain._

_"What about Aang?"_

_"He has feelings for me, too. And tonight, at the play, he kissed me. And he seemed really upset about what the actors said about our relationship. But it's the truth," she said, ashamed._

_"He did?" Zuko asked. When she didn't respond, he tried a different route. "Did you—I mean, you know. Did you _feel_ anything? When he kissed you?"_

_"No. See _that's_ the thing, Zuko. I don't _feel_ anything for him. The play was _right_. He's like a brother to me and _nothing else_. What he feels for me… I don't feel for him. I feel for _you_," she said, shaking her head again._

_"So, what's the problem? I'm confused," Zuko replied honestly. His voice was a mere whisper._

_"Aang. H_e's _the problem. I want to be with you, Zuko, but I can't hurt him. I _can't_," she said, looking down._

_ "Oh, okay. I get it. You _want_ to be with me, but you don't want to hurt Aang's feelings, right?" he asked, standing up. She looked up at him with pleading eyes._

_ "Yes, but Zuko I—"_

_ "It's okay, Katara. I understand," he said, interrupting her. "I'll just go to my room and pretend none of this ever happened, okay?" He turned his back to her and began walking in the direction of his room._

_ She tried to stop him. "No. Zuko…" Her voice faded and tears fell down her cheeks as the realization hit her. She was too late. He was gone._

* * *

_They were both fighting quite well, determination in both of their eyes. The power of the Comet had given them the unmatchable strength that they now held in their bodies. The flames around them were both frightening and beautiful. But they were not created for entertainment, nor beauty, but for violence. Their sole purpose was death._

_ She watched him, pleading with the Spirits that he would win this battle. She did not want to lose him. He was too important to her. _Please, Spirits, please_, repeated in her head again and again with every motion they took._

_ His next move was unsuspected by his opponent, and she was knocked to the ground, gasping for breath._

_ He mocked her for her obvious weakness. "No lightning today? What's the matter—afraid I'll redirect it?" He moved his hand outward in a defensive position, as if to show his superior strength._

_ This seemed to anger her even more. "Oh. I'll show you _lightning_!" she screamed. _

_She brought up her hands and created the electrical stream aggressively in lieu of her usually graceful and precise technique. Zuko readied himself for the blast, breathing in and out evenly—calmly, showing no fear. Azula looked back and forth between her brother and the Waterbender that stood just a few feet behind him. She made a quick decision and sent the lightning in the direction of the girl. The determined look on Zuko's face quickly vanished—replaced by a look of horror—as he noticed what was about to happen. _

_Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion. Without thinking, he turned and ran in the direction of the Waterbender, jumping in the way of the electrical stream. It hit him dead center in the chest. "No!" he screamed, just as the lightning had made its strike._

_He was knocked to the ground, writhing in pain as he clutched at his chest while the electricity ran throughout his entire body. A sharp bolt of lightning shot out into the blood-red sky. Katara looked on, shocked. The lump in her throat plummeted to her stomach like a large stone, knocking the breath out of her._

_ "Zuko!" she screamed, running toward him. She brought up her hand—already engulfed in water, ready to heal—only to be thwarted by an oncoming blast of blue flames, followed by the maniacal laughter of the Fire Nation Princess. _

* * *

_Katara tightened the chains even harder—if that were even possible—making sure the princess could not move from her spot. Azula gave a grunt of pain as the metal tightened on her wrists. Katara stood from the ground and made her way over to the boy in the middle of the courtyard. _

_She was happy to see that he was still alive, but just barely. He lay on his stomach and she assisted him to turn onto his back before she reached for her water-skin. She covered her hands in the liquid quickly and pressed both of them to his chest. The water glowed as it healed. The look of anguish diminished from his face slowly and his body seemed to relax under her fingers. She took notice of his even breathing and smiled._

_Zuko struggled to speak. "Thank you, Katara."_

_Tears filled her eyes before falling down her cheeks. "I think _I _should be the one thanking _you_," she said._

_His hand slowly moved to her face, a feeble attempt to stop her tears. "Don't cry."_

_His voice proved to be the opposite of helpful and her tears came faster now. "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy you're okay." She managed a quiet chuckle._

_"So, can I ask why you're crying, then?"_

_Katara chuckled again. "Honestly, I don't know." She bent down, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. When he went to return it, he groaned in protest, and she pulled back, remembering his wound. "I'm sorry!" she said, giving an apologetic smile._

_"It's okay. Here; help me up?" he asked, leaning up on his elbows._

_"You sure?"_

_"Yeah."_

_Zuko began to sit up and Katara put a hand to his back in an attempt to offer assistance. When he finally stood, she kept her hand on his back, steadying him. He gazed at the writhing girl on the ground, his face an emotionless mask. Katara looked down and closed her eyes in an attempt to block out the image of the insane princess as she twisted herself back and forth, blue fire erupting from her mouth. Azula continued to thrash around as tears fell from her eyes. Katara and Zuko just stood and watched._

_"We should get going," Zuko said._

_She sighed. "Okay." She gestured to Azula. "What should we do?"_

_Zuko spared a quick glance around the courtyard before he seemed to find something in the distance and he gave a sharp nod. Katara followed his gaze and found one of the sages bowing his head._

_"She's taken care of," Zuko said simply, seemingly uncaring. "Come on." He started walking in the direction they left Appa, his pace rather slow due to his wound._

_"Zuko? Wait!"_

_He turned to look at her, a questioning look on his face. "What's wrong?"_

_Before he could say anything else, she pressed her lips to his, the girl in chains completely forgotten. His heart seemed to beat faster and she could feel it against her hands, now lying against his chest. He grunted in pain and she pulled back. "I love you," she whispered before she pressed her lips to his again, only more softly than before, so as not to hurt him again. This time, he was the one to pull back._

_"What about Aang?" he asked. His voice remained quiet, a whisper._

_She shook her head. "I'll talk to him. That doesn't matter right now. What matters is how much I care about you. I love you." She kissed him again—another short, sweet kiss._

* * *

_Katara walked down the palace hallways in search of the Firebender. She had been pointed in the direction of where he went by one of the many servants and she hoped that she was almost there. She saw a large door coming up on her right and she wondered if this was where he was. She was about to walk in when she started hearing voices in conversation. She easily recognized Zuko's voice and that other girl that was friends with Azula and Tai Lee—Mai. She slowly peaked around the corner to see Mai wrapping a robe around Zuko's shoulders and tying it before resting her hand lightly on his chest._

_"…and it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend," Mai said, turning to stand in front of Zuko again._

_He looked at her, smiling. "So, does this mean you don't hate me anymore?"_

_She blushed—the pink tint looking odd on her pale face. "I think it means, I actually kind of like you," she said. She brought his head down and kissed him._

_Katara's heart was clenching and she hoped this was just a dream. Tears came to her eyes and she began to turn to walk away when she heard Zuko's voice again. She peaked around the door again to see what was happening._

_"Mai, I can't. I'm sorry," he said. His voice seemed upset, like he didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings._

_Katara heard Mai sigh. "It's that Waterbender, isn't it?"_

_Zuko's voice sounded shocked. "How did you know?" He took a step back and his eyes widened._

_ "I saw the way you looked at her when you guys came here. And I heard about what you did during the Agni Kai," Mai said, shrugging her shoulders. "I know you, Zuko. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't take a _bolt of lightning_ for _anyone_ unless you cared _deeply_ for them."_

_ Zuko stood there, looking at her with wide eyes. "I—I don't know what to say."_

_ "You don't have to say anything. I completely understand, Zuko. I just want you to be happy and I can tell that she makes you happy. Trust me. You love her and she loves you, and I only hope that I can find a love like that someday…" Mai continued, looking in his eyes._

_ Zuko sighed. "Thank you, Mai." He wrapped his arms around her in a friendly hug that she returned kindly._

_ "You're welcome, Zuko. Now, I don't want to be holding you two up any longer than I already have. I know you have to talk about a lot of things," she said quietly, backing out of the hug._

_ He seemed confused. "What are you talking about?"_

_ Mai glanced at the door where Katara stood, listening. Zuko followed her gaze, noticed the girl in the doorway, and smiled._

_ "I'll leave you two alone," Mai said, turning and walking out of the room. She smiled at Katara as she passed._

_ Katara looked at Zuko briefly before taking a step forward and walking into the room. The smile remained on his face as he watched her. She gave a shy smile back, her cheeks flushed, proof of the embarrassment for being caught eavesdropping._

_ "Hey," she said quietly, as she continued forward until she was standing in front of him._

_ "Hey," he replied. "How long were you there?"_

_ "Long enough," she said. "Is it true?"_

_ "Is what true?" he asked innocently._

_ "What Mai said. Did you save me because you love me?" she asked, looking at him._

_ Zuko said nothing, just stepped forward and captured her lips in his. She wrapped her arms around his neck (gently, as she didn't want to disturb his wound) and his hands came up to rest on her waist. She responded to his lips almost immediately and sighed into the kiss. He pulled back slowly and whispered in her ear, "Does that answer your question?" His warm breath sent a shiver down her spine. She nodded and smiled._

_ His voice continued at a whisper, "I love you."_

_ "I love you, too," she whispered back, kissing his lips again._

_ "Did you talk to Aang?" he asked, hoping he didn't ruin the moment. He pressed his forehead against hers as if to apologize._

_ "I did, actually," she said, nodding, her arms still wrapped around his neck._

_ "What did he say? What about Sokka? Or your Dad? Suki? Toph?" Zuko asked, curious. Katara smiled and explained._

_"Sokka took some time, but he gives us his blessing. Suki said 'Congrats,' and gave me a hug. Toph said, 'I knew all along. You go, Sparky'." Zuko rolled his eyes at the nickname. Katara chuckled and continued, "Dad, well, he said it would be a 'great way to reunite the nations'. As for Aang, well, he said pretty much the same thing Mai just said. He only wants me to be happy and be with whoever I want to be with," she said. A thought came to her mind and she smiled. "Of course, after I talked to him, he went over to Toph and kissed her…"_

_Zuko lifted his forehead from hers in surprise, whipping back as if she had shocked him with another bolt of lightning. His eyes searched hers as if to test her seriousness. She held his gaze another moment before he responded to her words. "Whoa. I never would have guessed _they_ would get together," Zuko said, smiling._

_She shrugged. "Me neither, but they _do_ make a pretty cute couple. I mean, come on, did you think that _we_ would ever get together?" Katara asked, amused._

_"No. But I definitely _am_ happy that we _are_," His voice trailed off as he leaned in closer to capture her lips once again with his own. She smiled against his mouth, happy that the war was over and that she had found someone to love her…_

* * *

Zuko took a deep breath and snatched Katara back into the present. He was still facing away from her, lying on his side. She smiled. Katara wanted to let him sleep, but the sun was showing even brighter now than it was before, lighting the room's red walls, creating the illusion that they were on fire. It was late; he needed to wake up.

Katara leaned forward, rested her forearm along his shoulder, and kissed his cheek. "Zuko, wake up," she whispered. He groaned in objection and she tried again. "Zuko, come on. It's getting late. You have to wake up." She shook his shoulder and he sighed. He turned slowly onto his back, and Katara sat back up, watching him.

Zuko opened his eyes slowly and gazed at his wife. "Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," she said, smiling. "Do you have anything to do today?"

He paused, thinking. "Just the continuance of that Earth Kingdom meeting that didn't get settled last week," he said, stretching his arms over his head.

"I thought that was last night," Katara said, raising her eyebrow.

"No. _That_ was just the Earth Kingdom _Generals_. Don't make me remember how _that_ meeting went. Anyway, today, the Earth King is supposed to be there, too. But it's a dumb meeting anyway. I swear, how _hard_ is it to rebuild Ba Sing Se's outer wall? It's been _four years_ since Azula and the Dai Lee brought it down, and they _still_ haven't gotten it done? It was made out of _rock_! They're _Earthbenders_ for Spirits' sake! I understand they want help from the nation that brought it down, but still…" he ranted. Katara just smiled, watching his facial expressions.

"Ah, the life of a Fire Nation Royal. Isn't it great?" Katara asked sarcastically, chuckling.

He brought his hands up and covered his face. "Completely," he mumbled, his voice muffled by his hands.

She laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "So, when does the meeting start?"

He moved his hands from his face and looked at her with tired eyes. "Not for a while. Why?"

She smiled. "Enough time to go feed the turtle-ducks?" she asked.

Zuko smiled at her childish request and took her hand, kissing it. "Of course."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3: Visitors

******Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

******Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Visitors**

* * *

The couple sat out in the Palace courtyard. The tree behind them cast a shadow over the small pond and provided a cool contrast to the otherwise warm weather. The grass was cool and soft, allowing them to relax on the ground with any worries. It was a nice, quiet day; no clouds in the sky, not even the background noise of others' voices.

Zuko sat quietly, as Katara fed the small creatures in the pond, smiling at her familiar technique; it was as if it were four years ago and they were still sitting around a small camp fire while she passed each of them their meals. She divided the loaf of bread in her hands into three small pieces, leaving the last of the loaf on the ground to the right of her hip. Katara took up the smaller pieces in her hands and looked at the turtle-ducks expectantly, as if she was waiting for them to say something—some sort of please or thank you. When they all gave a loud _quack!_, she placed each of the bread pieces in front of its own turtle-duck before smiling and placing her hands in her lap gently. Zuko watched as the ducks finished their offerings and continued to watch them as they looked up at their mother, who was now looking up at the Fire Lady expectantly. Katara smiled and placed the remains of the bread in front of the duck, earning a light _quack!_ of approval.

Zuko chuckled and Katara looked up. "What?" she asked. When he didn't answer, only stared, she returned her gaze to the pond and continued, "I like to make sure that they all get an equal amount, and then the mother gets the rest… It only seems fair."

He shook his head. "Yeah, I know. It's just… That's how my mother used to do it, too. She always believed in fairness, giving equal amounts. It was her principle, her rule. That's how she went about doing _everything_, even with me and Azula…" Katara looked up at him with interest and he continued, "I just thought it was funny that you think that way, too. Every day, I notice it more and more—the likeness between you two. What I mean is… You remind me of her in more ways than one."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied quietly, returning his gaze to the pond. The turtle-ducks remained sitting there, watching them. One duckling waddled out of the water and hopped onto Zuko's lap. He patted its head—receiving a light _quack! _in the process—and continued to look down. The duckling snuggled into his lap and closed its eyes, appearing to be taking a short nap. Zuko gave it a brief smile and began to pluck at the grass absentmindedly.

Katara smiled weakly, but it quickly faded. She took hold of the hand that rested on his knee. "Zuko, I don't know if you know this, but… I am _so _sorry about what happened to your mother. When you returned from the search in the Earth Kingdom—when the guards told me… When they told me about what happened… I—" She stopped, took a deep breath, and tried again. "What I'm trying to say is… I know how you feel," Katara said quietly, struggling to find her words.

He stopped his assault on the grass and looked at her. "I'm sorry. I'm ruining the moment. It's just—I really miss her sometimes," he said, giving her hand a light squeeze. His thumb traced circles across her knuckles.

Katara nodded. "I know."

As she spoke, a servant ran up to them and bowed quickly to each of them. He was young, probably new to the Palace—or at least that's what Katara suspected. He spoke directly to Zuko through deep, panting breaths. "My lord, I am sorry to disturb you, but, I have been told to inform you that Avatar Aang and Miss Toph Bei Fong have just arrived, sir. They are currently in the library, sir."

Zuko's surprise was obvious. He kept his tone light and formal. "Very well. Thank you." The duckling in his lap opened his eyes and stared at the servant as if he were a dangerous intruder.

"Is there anything else you needed, sir?" the boy asked, eyeing the small creature in the Fire Lord's lap, hoping it wasn't going to attack him. Nothing was worse than a turtle-duck bite. Once they latched on, they never let go.

Zuko shook his head. "No, thank you. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, sir." The boy said shakily. He gave one last bow to each of them before heading off in the direction of the palace doors.

Katara watched him as he left. "Gee, you'd think that he thought you were going to kill him for interrupting…"

Zuko laughed. "Yeah, comes with the job," he said, eyeing the young man.

As soon as he was out of sight, Katara turned to Zuko with curious eyes. "Aang and Toph are here?"

"I guess," he answered, shrugging. He picked up the duckling from his lap and placed it back in the water with the others.

"Why?" she asked, eyeing him as he stood up. The turtle-ducks quacked at him and he smiled.

He began to dust off his robe. "I don't know. In any case, I need to get down to the conference room for that meeting. You should go see them, catch up on things. We haven't seen them in a while. Hopefully, I'll be there, shortly," he said, offering her his hand. She took it with a smile and stood.

"Okay. Good luck with the Earth Kingdom," she chuckled.

"Thanks. I'm going to need it," he smiled, placing a quick kiss to her lips. "I'll see you, soon."

"'Kay," she said as she watched him disappear through the doors.

* * *

Katara walked down the hallways, taking the occasional turn left or right, quietly humming to herself until she reached two large, ornate doors. She smiled as she opened the door, only to be greeted in a large hug.

"Oomf! Oh, hello, Toph. You scared me for a second there," she said, hugging the Earthbender. She saw a white flash and then felt a sudden weight on her shoulder. She glanced to her right and was greeted by a pair of big green eyes, staring down at her. "Hello to you, too, Momo," she said, scratching the lemur behind his ear. He chattered quietly, and nuzzled her neck. She giggled.

"Hi, Katara." She looked up to see where the deep voice came from, although she already knew too well of whom it belonged to. Her lips turned up in a smile as she saw Aang approach from the couch in the center of the library.

"Aang! It's so good to see you! How are you? How long has it been?" she asked, stepping away from Toph and walking towards him, arms out. Aang returned the hug and Momo leapt from her shoulder and returned to his usual perch on the Avatar's.

He stepped out of the hug, patting her back. "Just a couple months, Katara—about half a year," he said, rubbing the back of his head, smiling. "I was here for Zuko's birthday, remember? As for your other question, I'm doing fine, I guess. Just making the routes, you know?"

"Oh, yeah. I completely forgot you guys were here for that." Katara brought her hand up to her head, wondering how she had suddenly forgotten her own husband's _birthday celebration_. She looked at him again questioningly. "So how are the routes going, everything good?"

"Yeah, so far. We were on our way to Ember Island to check on things there, but Toph suggested we come here to see you guys. But, yeah, everything's been okay, other than the Earth Kingdom and Ba Sing Se. I really miss Kuei; he was so nice, unlike the new Earth King. I know this is not a real Avatar-ish thing to say, but he's a real _hog-monkey_!" Aang said. Toph shook her head, smiling.

Katara giggled. "Yeah, that's what I've heard. Zuko's been having some problems with the new Earth King, too."

"Hey, speaking of Zuko, where is our favorite Fire Lord?" Toph asked.

"Yeah, where _is_ Zuko? I want to see him. I actually need to talk to him, too," Aang said, looking around as if Zuko was playing a practical joke and was actually right behind him.

Katara's smile faded. "He had to go to a meeting. They still haven't come to an agreement on the reconstruction of Ba Sing Se's outer wall. He told me to come here to see you guys while he was there."

"They _still_ haven't solved that? How many meetings has he gone to?" Aang asked.

"No. He's been to about six meetings, including the one last night, but that was just the Earth Kingdom generals. The Earth King is supposed to be there, today," Katara said, shrugging.

"Wow. I feel sorry for him," Aang said, shaking his head. "Poor Zuko—having to deal with that guy for over an hour…"

"He said he should be here shortly—Zuko, I mean," Katara said, eyeing the sun through the curtains behind Aang. It was already getting late. The meeting _had _to be over soon; at least another hour.

"Actually, he's coming down the hall right now," Toph said casually. She waited a few seconds before pointing a finger at the doors. Katara and Aang looked at her questioningly. Another second passed and Zuko walked in.

Without looking at them, Zuko sighed and closed the door before finally walking forward to see the others. He walked to Katara's side, placed a hand on her waist, and she kissed his cheek.

"Get a room!" Toph said in a sarcastic voice. Katara turned to glare at her and Zuko chuckled.

"Hi, Toph," he said, smiling at her.

"'Sup, Sparky," she answered, giving him a light punch in the arm.

Zuko rubbed the spot where she punched him on his arm, groaning not only at the slight pain in his muscle, but at the ridiculous nickname. "_Toph_…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I always forget—_Lord_ Sparky!" Toph said, bowing enthusiastically. She stood up and smiled.

Zuko sighed and shook his head. Katara had to cover her mouth with her hand to muffle her laughter.

"_Anyway_. Hey, Zuko," Aang said, holding his hand out for Zuko to shake.

"Aang. How are you?" Zuko replied, grasping the Avatar's hand.

"I'm good. Katara told us about the troubles you've been having with the Earth Kingdom," Zuko shrugged.

Katara looked up at him questioningly. "Oh, yeah. How did the meeting go?"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ugh. Don't even remind me. I got to the conference room, only for my advisors to tell me that the Earth King is ill. It's nothing serious, but I was told that he wasn't coming today, and I guess since he's sick, the Earth Kingdom generals didn't come, either. So, now, we have to wait until the Earth King is well again to have the meeting." His head fell back as he explained, his tone revealed an obvious annoyance.

"Oh, that stinks. That explains why you were out of there so quickly," Katara said, shrugging. He smiled and kissed her temple lightly.

"It doesn't matter. Let's sit down." Zuko pointed to the couch and began to walk forward, pulling Katara with him. "I just want to sit down and relax for a little bit."

"I know what you mean," Aang said, his arms reaching behind him, stretching. "I love flying and all, but for two days straight, it's kind of tiring. Appa was exhausted when we landed."

"You work that bison too hard," Katara joked, taking a seat next to Zuko on the couch. Toph and Aang each took a seat on the loveseat across from them.

Aang shook his head at her comment and his gaze shifted to Zuko. "So, other than the whole Earth Kingdom mess, what's been going on?"

Zuko seemed to be surprised by the question and sat up straight. "Uh, well, not much, Aang. I mean, there really hasn't been a lot going on lately," he said.

"Oh, that's too bad. Hey, did you guys hear about Sokka and Suki?" Aang tried.

Katara's heart dropped into her stomach and she didn't breathe. There was silence. Zuko shifted in his seat and Katara gave him an apologetic look before turning to Aang and replying, "Yeah, we did. We got the message the other day—yesterday actually. Isn't it great news?"

"Yeah. You should have heard Sokka's scream when we were there and I told Suki that I had felt two heartbeats. Classic!" Toph said. She crossed her arms over her chest and laughed. Katara attempted to laugh with her, but she quickly noticed how fake it sounded and stopped, keeping only the smile on her face. Zuko stayed silent, shifting in his seat again.

"That's so great, though—them having kids. It's just showing that everything is as it should be," Aang said, pride in his voice.

"Yeah, it is," Katara said, her smile fading a little bit. She directed another apologetic glance at Zuko, who was now looking at the ground between his feet. Toph took notice of the tension between the two.

She turned her head in Katara's direction. "Hey, Katara, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Katara seemed surprised by her request but replied, nonetheless, "Sure, Toph." She patted Zuko's knee and he looked up, watching her as she stood. "We can talk across the hall," she finished.

Toph stood slowly, and followed Katara out the library doors and into the spare office across the hallway. Katara closed the door and Toph turned to face her. She crossed her arms over her chest and let out a sigh. "Okay, spill."

"Spill what?" Katara asked.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't. What _are_ you talking about?"

Toph sighed. "Katara, you always seem to forget that I can tell when you're lying. I can feel it. I can feel when someone is happy, angry, stressed, or nervous. I want to know why your heart stopped for a second and why Zuko's sped up really fast when Aang mentioned Sokka and Suki…"

"_That_? That was _nothing_, Toph," Katara said, defending herself.

"Yeah. It sure _felt_ like it was nothing. Just explain to me what just happened between you and Sparky in there."

Katara sighed in defeat. "Okay. When we got the message from Sokka, telling us that Suki was pregnant, I was totally excited. But, then, I found out that Zuko was really upset about it. I guess it reminded him of the stillbirth I suffered through a couple years ago. Remember that? He wouldn't speak for days and just yesterday afternoon, he told me how he felt about it. No matter how long ago it was, I guess he's still pretty distraught about it, and getting that letter from Sokka was just kind of like a slap in the face, you know?"

Toph seemed confused. She seemed to think for a moment before she pursed her lips and finally spoke, "So why don't you just have a kid?" she asked, shrugging.

Katara's shoulders slumped. _As if we haven't thought of that, Toph_, her mind told her to say. Instead, it came out as, "I don't know if we can, Toph."

"What do you mean? You got pregnant before, right?"

"Yeah, but that's the thing. I mean, after the stillbirth, the healers told us we had to wait a while to try again, but I just can't seem to conceive. The bigger problem is that Zuko just had a birthday. He just turned twenty-two, Toph. You were there. You know. I'm scared that, now, the nobles are going to start pressuring him for something to happen. They were pretty generous when it happened, but I don't know how they're going to be now." Katara looked down, tears coming to her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry, Katara. It's going to be okay," Toph said as Katara's shoulders began to shake.

Katara looked up and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Are you sure, Toph? Because, I don't think so…"

"I don't mean to pry, but, have you guys been _trying_ to have a kid?" Toph asked innocently.

"I think he got to the point where he just gave up. I mean, we tried—and tried and tried and _tried_—afterward for about a year, and then we just stopped, gave up. Nothing happened. I think he's _afraid_ to try again," Katara sniffed, composing herself.

"Well, if you guys are so desperate for an heir—don't yell at me for asking this, but—have you thought about the other option?"

Katara seemed confused. "What other op—"Then it hit her. "No, Toph! I don't think Zuko would want to do that!" She shook her head as if to get the thought out of her mind.

"Hey, it's just a thought," Toph said, shrugging.

Katara made a face of disgust. "Yeah, _sure_ it's just a thought. Why would you even _suggest _that?"

"I _suggested_ it, Katara, because it's an option for you to consider…"

"But I don't think Zuko would _ever_ want to hire some woman to have a child with. Ugh! It makes me want to vomit, just thinking about it." She shuddered.

"Hey, it may be gross, Katara, but it's a way to get an heir. That's all I'm saying," Toph said.

"Yeah, but it's still gross. Wait. It's more than just gross. It's plain _disgusting_!"

"That's why it was just a _suggestion_."

"No, Toph," Katara said flatly.

"Just talk to Zuko about it. Knowing _him_, he probably won't even have two things to say about it. Just talk to him. That's all I'm saying…"

"Fine. I'll talk to him. But I don't want to. I still can't believe you suggested that! Ugh!" She shuddered again.

Toph shook her head and started walking towards the door. "Come on. We should get back. They're probably wondering if we're okay."

Katara sighed and followed the Earthbender out the door, across the hall, and back into the library. When they opened the door, they were both surprised to find Aang and Zuko engrossed in some political conversation regarding Ba Sing Se and their plans on the wall's reconstruction. They were so engrossed in their conversation that when Katara and Toph took their seats next to each of them, it seemed as if they didn't even notice.

"But I don't think that the generals would approve of that," Aang said, shaking his head.

"The Council of Five is still being run, isn't it? They would probably approve of those plans," Zuko retorted.

"Yeah, they are, but you have to think about it, Zuko. Do you really think that the council members, the generals, _and_ the Earth King would appreciate that kind of design? Plus, you have to think about the people, too. Will _they_ approve of it?" Aang asked.

"I guess you're right. It _would_ take a lot of approval to adopt that new design into the wall. I liked your idea, though—about connecting the walls in a way so that the people in the city aren't separated by class or rank," Zuko said thoughtfully.

When there was the slightest moment of silence in the conversation, Katara cleared her throat. Aang and Zuko snapped back into reality and looked at her.

"When did you guys come back in?" Zuko asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Just now, but you guys were so into your conversation that I guess you didn't even notice," Katara laughed.

"Oh, sorry, Katara," Aang said, feeling guilty.

"It's okay. This just proves why I don't get into the politics, Twinkletoes. I can barely understand what you and Zuko are _talking_ about half of the time…" Toph said. Aang laughed.

"I try to stay away from the politics, too. They bore me," Katara said, smiling at her husband.

Aang glanced to the side, looking at the sun. "It's getting pretty late. The sun's already setting…"

Katara followed his gaze out the window. "Wow. Time flies when you're with friends."

Aang stood up and stretched. "Yeah, we probably need to get going if we want to make it Ember Island before it gets too dark."

Zuko stood as well and shook Aang's hand. "Well, it's been great seeing you again, Aang. Toph."

Katara gave Aang a hug before moving on to the Earthbender. When she pulled her into her arms, Toph whispered in her ear, "Talk to him."

Katara stepped out of the hug and scratched Momo on the head before turning to Aang again. "Say 'Hi' to Appa for me…"

"Okay. Come on, Toph. We have to go," Aang said.

"Alright. Bye, you guys. It was great _not_ seeing you!" Toph said. Katara and Zuko laughed.

As Aang began to walk forward, he quickly turned around to look at Katara. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Katara, I don't think we'll be able to make it for your birthday. We have to get to Ember Island and then to the Western Air Temple, and it will take a long time for that trip. Sorry."

Katara shrugged. "It's okay, Aang. I understand your Avatar duties." She gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

"So… Happy _early_ birthday!" Aang said happily, stepping out of the hug.

"Thanks."

Aang took Toph by the hand and led her out of the room. Katara waved gently.

As soon as the two left the room, Zuko turned to Katara. "So, are you hungry? We can go get something to eat."

"I'm really not that hungry. I'm actually kind of tired. I just want to go back to the room," she said, wondering how she was going to start the conversation with him. She just wanted to get it over with.

"Okay. Let's go," Zuko said. He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers, and led her out of the library and toward their chambers.

* * *

When they got back to the room, Katara immediately sat on the bed and Zuko headed for the washroom to bathe. She sat on the bed, saying nothing, waiting…

"You just have to do it, Katara. You probably won't even get an answer. Just talk to him. What harm could it do? He loves you. He will talk to you," she repeated out loud to herself. She brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She was becoming very nervous to the point where she flinched slightly, when Zuko stepped out of the washroom, wearing nothing but a pair of red pants, towel-drying his hair.

_That was too quick_, Katara thought to herself as he draped the towel over the arm of a chair and began walking towards the bed.

He looked at her, studying her current position and behavior. "Are you okay?" he asked.

It took her a couple seconds to find her voice. "Yeah, I'm fine. Can I talk to you? It's important—_real_ important."

"Sure," he said simply. He walked around and sat on the bed next to her. "What's up?"

Katara took a deep breath. "Do you think that I will ever be able to get pregnant again?" she asked, looking down.

Zuko was shocked by her question but responded in a clear voice, "I don't know." He looked straight forward, avoiding her gaze, just as she was his. "What brought _this _up?"

"It's just been brought to my attention—what with all of this Earth Kingdom stuff going on, and Sokka and Suki having a baby—you need an heir, Zuko. You need someone who can take over if anything should happen to us—to you. If I can't get pregnant…" Her voice disappeared. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Zuko, you need someone there, someone whom you are a father to, someone to train and educate. This nation needs an heir, even if I'm not the one who gives birth to it…" Her words cut like a knife and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"What do you mean, '…if I'm not the one who gives birth to it'?" he asked, confused.

She took a deep breath. "Zuko, have you ever thought about hiring someone to…you know…have children with?"

"What?" He seemed to not want to answer.

"Can you just answer me, please?" Her eyes were locked on the sheets in front of her and she felt his gaze on her.

He sighed. "Yes, the thought _did_ occur to me, once…" There was guilt in his tone. "But I was never going to act upon it! I'm ashamed to say I even _thought_ about it."

Katara closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. "I understand," she said, sniffling.

He tried to get her to look at him. "Katara. Katara, look at me." He grasped her face between his hands and looked her in the eye. "I admit, the thought has come to my mind, but it was a long time ago—about a month after the stillbirth." He flinched at the memory but continued after a short pause, "I would never do that to you, Katara. You are my _wife_. You are the only person I would ever want to have children with—_ever_! You are the Fire Lady to this nation and you _will_ be the mother of _any_ heir that I produce. You are _the only one_…" he said, kissing her forehead. He looked into her eyes for another short moment before dropping his hands from her cheeks.

Katara sniffled again and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice muffled against his skin.

He rubbed her back soothingly, hushing her. "It's okay. What brought this up, anyway?" he asked, hushing her again as another sob shook through her.

"That's what Toph wanted to talk to me about. She noticed our discomfort when Aang mentioned Sokka and Suki…" Katara answered quietly.

"So, she put the idea in your head that I would want to hire some random woman to have a child with in order to have an heir to the throne? A random woman instead of my own _wife_?" he asked, chuckling.

Katara sighed. "Yeah, I know. It was a pretty silly thought, wasn't it? I just…"

"Thought that I would agree to it willingly?" he finished, cocking an eyebrow.

She looked down. "Maybe."

Zuko laughed, only as a cover-up for his anger, an anger caused by her ludicrous assumptions and lack of understanding. "Come on, Katara. You know me better than that. You know I would never do that to you."

"I know and I'm sorry. S_o_ sorry," Katara said, her eyes watering up, tears brimming on the edges.

Zuko shook his head and kissed her forehead. "You don't have to apologize. There's nothing to be sorry for. Hey, look at me. Please?" Katara turned her head up, watching him, and he continued, "Listen to me, alright? If it really is worrying you _that _much—I know I've been avoiding the subject ever since what happened, but if it really means that much to you… I guess we can start trying again. When you are ready, though. Only when you are ready. I don't want you jumping into this because you think that we need an heir _right now_, okay?" He punctuated his sentence with a kiss to her forehead.

Katara sniffed and nodded, relaxing in his warm embrace. "Thank you," she said, smiling. As if on its own accord, her hand traveled up his chest, tracing the mark there, marveling at the softness of the scarred tissue.

"No problem," he said. He tucked her head under his chin and gave her shoulders a light squeeze. "I love you, Katara. You know that, right?" he whispered into her hair.

She nodded. "I love you, too," she replied softly.

"It stinks that Aang and Toph won't be here for your birthday. Sokka and Suki won't be here, either, because of the baby…" Zuko inquired.

Katara nodded. "Yeah. But, if you think about it… That means that we get to celebrate by ourselves."

"True. Goodnight, Katara."

Her voice was distant, not really there. "Goodnight."

Zuko pressed a kiss into her hair before resting his chin on the top of her head. Katara felt her eyelids droop as she leaned into his warmth, finding herself slowly drifting to sleep in his arms.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4: Negotiations

******Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

******Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Negotiations**

* * *

Her eyes opened slowly, only to be met with Night's complete darkness. There was no sound in the room, only the sound of her breathing, the sound of empty air. Katara rolled to her side and felt around on the other side of the bed, her fingers only finding the cold, empty sheets. _Where was Zuko?_ She sat up in bed, her head turning back and forth, blinking the sleep from her eyes in an attempt to see _something_ in the darkness. Her head turned to the left and noticed a light orange and red flicker from the bottom of the curtains, getting fairly bright before dimming down again. This cycle continued as she watched it.

Katara turned, pulling the covers from her body, her eyes never leaving the flickering light. Her feet touched the cold floor as she stood from the bed and she shivered. She pulled on her robe and as she made her way over to the curtains, the light flickered again, this time more brightly than before. She approached the small light and as she got closer, she couldn't help but notice its close resemblance to a fire's light.

She approached the curtains at last and with a light tug, the curtains opened. She looked down and gave a soft sigh as she noticed Zuko sitting on the ground in front of her. He was still in his sleeping attire and was sitting cross-legged with a row of five candles placed in front of him on the floor of the balcony, flickering brightly. He was breathing deeply, calmly. The flame of the candles grew with each inhalation and faded when he exhaled. His hands rested on the tops of his knees and he didn't move. Katara walked around him to see his face and found that his eyes were closed, his lips set in a tight line. The orange light flickered on his face, making his skin glow. _Oh_, Katara thought. _He's meditating_. This was a completely new experience for her. In all of the years that they had been together, Katara had never, once, seen Zuko meditate in person. It was always something that he went off to do by himself, where no one could see him. Or find him.

She smiled for a moment before turning to return to the bedroom. As she took hold of the curtain to close it behind her, she heard his low voice, "Katara?"

She stopped and turned around to face him and was surprised to see that he hadn't moved from his previous position. She walked around again to see his face. His eyes remained closed. "Hey," she said, her voice a whisper.

"What are you doing up?" he asked. His breathing still remained even, the light from the candles still flickered as it did before.

"I woke up and you weren't in bed. I saw the light under the curtains, so I came out here to see what it was. I didn't mean to disturb you…" she said, feeling guilty.

"That's alright."

"How long have you been out here?" she asked quietly, crossing her arms.

"Not _too_ long. Maybe an hour or so..."

"Oh. Well, I don't want to disturb your peace anymore. I'll just go back to bed," she said, turning to leave.

"No, it's okay, really. You can join me if you want," he said quietly. His last sentence sounded pleading, like he wanted her comfort, or maybe just her company.

Katara looked at his face for a moment before walking up and taking a seat next to him. As she sat, he took a deep breath as if to show his satisfaction with her presence. She gazed at the candlelight briefly before turning her gaze to his face. "Why are you out here this early? You don't usually meditate until dawn. At least, that's what you've told me before…"

"I had a lot on my mind and I couldn't sleep, so I figured I would get a head start," he said. As he spoke, the light flickered, casting shadows across his features. His eyes opened slightly, watching it.

Katara kept her gaze on him. "Oh. What's on your mind?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Nothing of consequence," he said nonchalantly.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Zuko replied.

"Oh."

His brow furrowed in question. "So, why'd you wake up? It's not a full moon…" he inquired quietly.

"Honestly, I don't know. I just did," she answered.

"That's odd," he said, inhaling another deep breath of air. The flames of the candles grew and his eyes closed again. He exhaled through his mouth.

"Yeah. Well, as much as I enjoy this," she said, gesturing between the two of them with her hand. "I think I'm going to go back to bed. Are you coming?" she asked.

"No. I'm going to stay out here for a little bit longer," he said.

"Okay. See you in the morning," she said as she stood. She placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned down to plant a kiss on his head before turning back to the curtains, wondering if sleep would find her again.

* * *

Katara walked down the hallways—wandering aimlessly—watching the servants bustle around, cleaning, talking. She hadn't seen Zuko since their earlier encounter on the balcony and she wondered where he was. As she approached one of the servants watering a plant in the corner, she stopped.

"Have you seen my husband? I haven't seen him since earlier this morning," she asked the servant politely.

"Of course, Lady Katara. Last I saw him, he was in his study," the servant replied, bowing.

"Do you know if he is still there?"

"I'm not sure, my lady. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. Don't apologize," Katara said.

"Would you like me to check for you, my lady?"

"No, thank you. I'll check, myself."

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Lady Katara? Do you have everything else you need?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine. You may resume your duties," Katara said politely.

"Thank you, my lady," the servant said, giving one last bow before turning back to the plant in the corner. Katara smiled and continued walking down the hallway, only this time with a destination in mind.

* * *

When she reached the large, ornate doors that represented Zuko's office, she stopped. Katara brought her arm up and gave a gentle knock to the wooden door before stepping back to wait. She waited a few seconds before knocking again, only this time, she was answered.

"Yes, come in," Zuko's voice came from the other side of the door. Katara smiled, placed her hand on the door handle, and turned.

When the door was opened just enough, she poked her head into the room. He was sitting at his desk, looking down at some parchment in front of him. His head was in his hands, his elbows on the desk, his shoulders tense. It seemed as though he didn't even realize her presence.

Without looking up from the scroll, he spoke, "What is it?"

Katara said nothing, stepping forward into the room and closing the door behind her with a quiet _click!_ She walked forward toward his desk, staying silent.

At the sound of the door, Zuko spoke again, this time his voice harsh. "I said, '_What is it'_?" His eyes never left the scroll in front of him.

This time, Katara spoke. "Wow. You get cranky when people don't answer you. I feel sorry for the servants…"

Zuko jumped, his elbows banging loudly on the edge of the desk as he looked up. "Katara! Agni, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you," he said, tidying up the parchments around him, nursing his right elbow as he did so.

Katara laughed. "Yeah, I could tell. What were you reading? You looked pretty into it…" She approached the desk, walked around, and stood next to him, leaning against the glossy wood.

He looked down at the scroll in front of him again and sighed. "I guess the Earth King is all well and better. Apparently, his 'deadly illness' was only something that lasted a couple _hours_. And he and his generals are departing today and should be here in a couple days to have that meeting we were supposed to have."

"When did you get that scroll?" Katara asked.

"After you fell asleep, a servant brought it to our room last night. Why?" Zuko said, looking at her.

"Is that what was bothering you this morning? When you were meditating?" she asked, curious.

"Among other things, yes."

She wondered what the 'other things' were, but she quickly dismissed the issue. "Okay. So you're having a meeting that was _supposed_ to take place yesterday—only now, it's in a couple days… What's wrong with that, other than you having to put up with the Earth King and his generals for a couple hours?" Katara asked.

"It's not just the meeting…" Zuko sighed, shaking his head.

"Then what is it?" she asked, confused.

"Well, of all people, Katara, I would think you would remember that your own _birthday_ is next week…"

Katara chuckled. "Zuko. I _know_ it's my birthday next week. I don't need a big celebration or anything, especially if you need to prepare for the Earth King's arrival. I have no problem with that. We can just do something small. Just the two of us," she said quietly.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, it's your twentieth birthday, Katara. You sure you don't want to do anything?" he asked, turning towards her.

"Yeah. I'm sure. We can just relax for the day. It'll be just you and me," she shrugged.

"Okay. If you say so. Was there anything else you needed me for?"

"No. I just haven't seen you since this morning, and I just wanted to know where you were…"

"Well, you found me. So, what do you want?" he said, smiling. He stood up from his chair and turned to her, crossing his arms.

She seemed insulted. "What? A girl can't walk into her husband's office just to say 'Hi'?"

He laughed and stepped forward, taking her face in his hands. "No." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers.

"Hi," she whispered.

Zuko smiled. "Hi," he replied before returning his lips to hers briefly.

Katara looked up at him. "I think I'm ready to try again…"

He sighed and his hands fell from her face. Zuko took a step back from her and shook his head. "No, you're not. Katara, I told you that we would try again when you are absolutely ready, not just whenever you feel like it. And I only told you that _last night_, so I know that you can't be ready, yet."

"I know that, Zuko. I really _do_ think I'm ready…" she frowned.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Katara, I guess what I meant was we would try again when we _both_ were ready…"

"Are you saying you're not ready to do this—to have a baby with me?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He sat back in his chair. "I guess… No… I don't know, Katara." He shook his head back and forth. "I'm just not sure if I'm ready to go through all of this again…"

"Go through what?" Katara said, raising her voice.

"The stress."

"The stress?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Okay. That's just _perfect_!" Katara shouted, throwing her hands in the air. She backed away and turned her back on him.

"Why are you so angry?" he asked innocently. "Why do you keep pressing the issue when you know perfectly well of what could happen?"

She whipped around. "Why? _Because_, Zuko! I thought I had explained this last night, and despite the fact that it's the truth, I have just been reminded that I am turning _twenty years old_ next week! You have been Fire Lord for four—almost five—years, and we still haven't brought an heir to this nation!"

He looked at her with pleading eyes, trying to force his voice through the lump in his throat that was currently constricting him, taking away his breath. "Katara, please calm down," Zuko said, his voice quiet, almost a whisper. He held his hands out in front of him as if to offer his surrender.

"_You_ can't handle the stress? What about _me_, Zuko? I'm the one who's just a girl from the Southern Water Tribe who the Prince of the Fire Nation just _happened_ to marry. Thank Yue that the people accepted me because I was a part of the reason why Ozai and Azula were defeated, but guess what, Zuko: if I don't bring these people an heir, soon, they aren't going to be that faithful anymore! And neither are your advisors and generals! Let alone, _you_!" she shouted, her hand whipping out to point at him. She took a deep breath, giving her lungs some much-needed air, and continued, this time with acid in her tone, "And before I know it, I end up getting banished, bringing shame to the royal family and all of the Fire Nation, not to mention the Water Tribes. I blink and then I'm living in some old, rundown slum in the Earth Kingdom with no one to love me or notice me until someone comes searching, only to find that I'd been killed by some rioters like Ursa!"

Zuko sat there in his chair, taking in her words. They cut like knives and it took all of his strength to not let any tears fall. He simply stared at her with wide eyes, his jaw agape, saying nothing.

Katara stood in front of him, wondering why he didn't answer. She thought back through what she had just said, caught the mistake, and her hand flew to cover her mouth as she gasped. At her sudden movement, he flinched as she had struck him across the face. Tears began to fall from her eyes. She spoke, her voice muffled by her palm, "Oh Spirits—Zuko, I am _so_ sorry! I didn't mean… About your mother… I didn't mean it, I swear. I'm so sorry." She shook her head back and forth, as if trying to erase what she had said from memory.

Zuko slowly stood from his chair, walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her. She cried into his robes and he tucked her head under his chin. He hushed her and patted her back. "Maybe we _do_ need a day to relax. I had no idea that you were this stressed out about this. You're more stressed out than _I_ am…"

She sniffed. "I'm sorry. I know you've got other things to worry about, and I'm just putting even more stress on your shoulders than there already is. And how can you be so calm. Especially after what I just said…"

"Don't worry about it," he said, kissing her forehead. "I told you we would try to have a baby again, Katara, and I will keep my promise. I just don't want you jumping into things because you're feeling pressured. You're _especially _not to the point where we are contemplating the thought of _banishing_ you…" She winced at his comment but he continued, "I don't know if I told you this, but, I actually had a short meeting with the generals and they are willing to give us more time. They _understand_, Katara. They understand that we are going to need time, and so do the people. You don't have to worry."

"But what about the riots? What if they start again?"

Zuko shook his head. "You know as well as I do that they had nothing to do with us losing the baby. That's all on my shoulders. They don't—_didn't_—like me. You don't have to trouble yourself with that. Besides, they're over now. Those people have been dealt with, remember? It's done. _Over_."

"Okay."

He inclined his head so he could see her face. "Listen. We'll plan this relaxation day for your birthday. We'll get away from all this stress and just relax for the day. Then, if you still think you're ready, we'll try. You have my word as Fire Lord _and_ as your husband. Okay?" he said, his hands rubbing her shoulders in a soothing gesture.

She nodded and he hugged her again. They were interrupted by a quiet knock at the door.

Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes. "What is it?" he said, stepping back, but keeping Katara at an arm's distance.

The door opened slowly to reveal a servant. "Sir, one of your advisors would like a word with you…"

"How long is this going to take?" Zuko asked.

"I am not sure, my lord. I was only informed by one of your advisors that he would like to speak to you as soon as you are available."

"Is it urgent?"

"I do not think so, my lord. He did not say that it was."

Zuko nodded and glanced down at Katara with an apologetic look. She shook her head. "It's okay. Go. I'm fine," she said, attempting a smile at the servant. The servant gave a low nod of the head in an informal bow.

He looked at her, concerned. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Just go. I'm fine. Really."

He sighed and kissed her forehead, whispering the words, "I love you," before turning to leave the office, the servant closing the door behind them.

* * *

As Zuko approached the throne room, he was greeted by his lead advisor—a very wise man, knowledgeable of Fire Nation merits and responsibilities. In fact, he had even served the Avatar with his training and with his uncle in the Order of the White Lotus.

The man bowed when Zuko was in sight. "Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko gave a respectful bow, as well. "Jeong Jeong. Is there something you needed?"

"Nothing personally, my lord. I am just merely curious as to how you are feeling about this meeting with the Earth King that is to be held in a couple of days."

"Oh. I'm _hoping_ everything goes well…"

"I am sure it will, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "How can you be sure?" he asked.

"I am here to offer you some advice, Fire Lord Zuko. And I believe that it will help in one way or another…"

"Okay…?" Zuko said, confused.

"Our element has been known to be very destructive and merciless. The Earth Kingdom's people have believed that we will only bring death and destruction to their nation. But as I told Avatar Aang years ago, fire breathes and grows, bringing harm to whatever it touches if it cannot be controlled. However, we are now in control of that fire, Lord Zuko. The Fire Nation has brought destruction to the world, and now it is time to bring back the life that lies beneath the ashes of our nation's past mistakes…" Jeong Jeong said quietly.

"Amazing how much you and my uncle are alike," Zuko replied.

"Iroh is a very wise man."

"Agreed. Thank you, Jeong Jeong," Zuko said, giving a low bow to his advisor.

"You're welcome, sir. My only hope is that this advice provides some insight on your other troubles, as well."

"How did you know I was having other problems?" Zuko questioned.

Jeong Jeong managed a laugh. "You, my lord, are _very_ easy to read."

Zuko nodded. "Very well. Goodbye, Jeong Jeong."

"Goodbye for now, Fire Lord Zuko. Be sure to say 'Hello' to the Fire Lady for me?"

"I will. Thank you."

"Good day, sir," Jeong Jeong said, taking one last bow before leaving the throne room with Zuko looking after him.

_He was right_, Zuko concluded mentally. _Things might have gone wrong in the past, but the future will be better in every way…_

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5: Celebrations

******Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

******Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Celebrations**

* * *

The walls of his office had seemed to grow smaller and smaller, forcing him to hunch over his desk even more than before. Something that would seem so simple was threatening to crush him, trapping him within his own home. Zuko sat there, staring at the menacingly blank piece of parchment in front of him. It seemed to mock him for his lack of ideas, pulling him into a bigger trap of wordlessness. He had come to his office early that morning in order to get his plans appropriated before the Earth King's arrival the following day. Yes, he had been cutting it close, but with all of the things going on in his and Katara's own lives, it seemed impossible to do anything about it. Before, he could recite his plans in the most elegant of words, in the most diplomatic of ways. Now, of course, his words had failed him, no matter how he put them. No matter what the excuse was for his lack of productiveness, the silence that now engulfed the room explained it in full detail. Zuko continued to stare at the blank page in front of him, his elbows touching the crumpled pieces of his previous writings that lay on the desk next to him, some threatening to fall over the edge, their fate the same as those who already had. His head fell into his hands.

_Why is this so difficult?_ he asked himself. _It should _not_ be this hard to come up with _some_ kind of statement for when the Earth King arrives! I'm the Fire Lord, for Agni's sake!_ A quiet knock came at the door, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Come in," he said politely. The door across the office opened to reveal Katara's smiling face.

"Hey, how's the whole speech coming?" Katara asked, walking forward, closing the door behind her.

"Uh, pretty good," Zuko lied, straightening up in his chair.

As she reached his desk, she noticed all of the discarded papers next to him and frowned. "Is that why your desk is covered with crumpled up pieces of paper?" She looked down. "And your floor?" she asked, indicating one of the offending papers with her foot.

"Okay, you caught me. I'm kind of at a loss." His hand ran down his face and back up again, burying itself in his loose hair. "Before, I knew exactly what I was going to do when the Earth King arrived. I knew exactly what I was going to tell him concerning the reconstruction. I had everything planned. But, now, I'm completely lost."

"What made you so stressed out?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I have no idea, Katara," he said, slumping over the desk, his hands coming up to cover his face.

Katara stepped around behind him, massaging his shoulders. She could feel the tension in his muscles through the fabric of his robes. "Well, I just came in to check on you. You seemed so stressed out this morning, but it looks like that hasn't changed much. I was planning on going out to the garden… Maybe you should come with me. It might take some of the stress off."

"Thanks for the offer, Katara, but I'll have to pass," he said, taking a deep breath.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Her hands stopped their massaging and began a more soothing caress along his shoulders. "I'm certain that it would do you some good to get out of this stuffy office, even if it's just for a few minutes."

Zuko took another deep breath. "Yeah, I'm sure. I just really need to get _something_ done and if I leave now, I honestly don't think I would come back."

"Okay. Well, I'm probably going to be out there for a while. I don't really have anything to do today. So, if you need me, that's where I'll be," She gave his shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"Okay."

"Good luck," she said, planting a kiss on his head.

He chuckled. "Thanks."

Katara left the room, making sure to turn and give him a smile on her way out. He briefly returned it, but as soon as she shut the door, he slumped back over the desk with a heavy sigh. _If anything is to be completely finished by the end of today, it has to be this, _he thought. _I just hope everything goes as planned…_

* * *

A couple hours passed and Zuko remained at his desk. Of course, he had finally collected his thoughts and was able to put them into words. His progress had been steadily increasing and his plans were finally at the stage of being finalized, and everything was organized for the meeting. All he had to do was run the plans by a couple of his senior advisors and it would be set.

Seeing as he was into his work by this time, getting the last of the plans together, the quick rap that sounded at the door startled him, and he jumped at the sudden sound.

"Come in," he said, collecting the scrolls that were currently crowding his desk and organizing them into a neat line.

There was no sound other than the slight clicking of the door that indicated its opening and closing until: "Hello, Nephew. How are the meeting plans coming?" Iroh said cheerfully.

Zuko's looked up in surprise. "Uncle! What are you doing here? You are not supposed to still be in the palace, remember? I told you to stay in the same wing of the palace that your room is in, and I told you to _not go anywhere else_!"

Iroh sat down in the chair across from him and remained quiet, holding back the smirk that was threatening his features. A thought suddenly entered Zuko's mind and his hand flew to his face, his skin making a light _slap!_ at the contact. "Agni, Katara didn't see you did she? Because if she did—"

"Easy, my nephew. I can assure you, Katara did not see me as I made my way to your office."

"Are you sure? I don't want this whole thing ruined. Aang and Toph are arriving back here this evening, and it's going to be difficult enough to keep her in the dark. Not to mention, I've just received word of Sokka and Suki's arrival, as well. Half of the things going on tonight are just pure, dumb luck! I'm surprised I was even able to get everyone together, and on such short notice, especially considering where everyone lives! I've done my best to keep it a secret up until now, and I don't want to lose it all because someone let slip of your presence in the hall, or because you were careless and allowed for her to see you!" Zuko said, his voice gaining volume as he spoke.

Iroh's face fell and his demeanor became very serious. "Zuko. No one is going to ruin the surprise. She remains perfectly oblivious. I, for one, am surprised that you were able to come up with this idea of yours on such a quick notice."

"It wasn't my idea; it was Aang's. I had told him while he and Toph were here about her plans for her birthday. He had said it was ridiculous how Katara didn't want to do anything special at all, so he suggested the idea that we throw her this whole thing," Zuko said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I think that it is a great idea to do this for the Fire Lady, considering what the two of you have been through as of recent," Iroh said quietly.

"Thank you, Uncle. I appreciate that, and I know Katara will appreciate it, too. Just, please, don't let her see you anywhere. Not until tonight," Zuko pleaded.  
"Of course not, Zuko. I promise to not spoil anything. You have my word."

"Thank you, again," Zuko smiled.

"Anything for you, Nephew. Now, I should go before any of the guards come this way, or our little Guest of Honor, for that matter," Iroh replied, winking quickly before standing to leave.

Zuko straightened in his chair and snatched a scroll from in front of him. "Wait! Before you go, can you read over this really fast? Tell me if I have everything right?" he asked.

Iroh smiled, taking the scroll. Zuko stood and moved to stand behind Iroh, eyeing him as he read. Iroh finished the scroll after a few minutes and sighed. A look of concern found its way to Zuko's face.

"Bad?" he asked, wary.

Iroh sighed again. "You know, Zuko? You worry yourself too much. This is an excellent proposition. You have done well, my nephew." He smiled and handed the scroll back into Zuko's waiting hand.

"Yeah, it only took me the entire time I've been in this office to get that much done," Zuko chuckled.

"Zuko, you must realize that you are making a better Fire Lord than you believe yourself to be. Stop criticizing yourself over every little thing."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one doing it," Zuko sighed.

"Listen to me, Nephew. Stop worrying yourself over these trivial things. You are making a fine leader to this nation, and you do not have to be so worried about this meeting with the Earth King. It's going to be fine, Nephew, I assure you. Believe me," Iroh replied, placing a gentle, comforting hand in the Fire Lord's shoulder.

Zuko nodded. "Thank you, Uncle, for your reassurance. But, either way, I'm still stressed."

Iroh's eyebrows knitted together. "And for what reasons?"

Zuko sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Just everything that's been happening lately: the generals; all of the trouble in the Earth Kingdom and with Ba Sing Se; with Katara…"

"Have you spoken to Katara about being stressed? Or have you been able to speak to any of your advisors?" Iroh asked.

"I don't want to bother Katara with my problems regarding my work as Fire Lord, and, as strange as it sounds, I don't really want to bother the generals either," Zuko said, sarcasm in his tone. "I mean, the last thing I want is to have the generals and other advisors think that I am not fit to be Fire Lord; that I am weak."

Iroh shook his head. "When oil meets fire, it is guaranteed to burn."

"What?" Zuko cocked an eyebrow.

Iroh chuckled. "What it means, Nephew, is that when someone is constantly stressed, and they never gain any relief, they will surely fail."

"Thank you for that advice, Uncle. Though, I don't think it helped very much," Zuko sighed, crossing his arms. He leaned back onto his desk (nearly sitting on it) and shook his head.

"What you need to do is take a break, Zuko. If you don't, before you know it, bad things will begin to happen—things you won't have any control over. And when that happens, who knows what the consequences will be?"

"Bad things have already happened, Uncle!" Zuko yelled, throwing his arms up before letting his hands slam down on his desk next to him. He glared at Iroh, his eyes full of anger, and quite possibly anguish.

"Zuko. You can't possibly count everything bad that has happened recently. Things happen and you can't change them! You, of all people, Zuko, I would think would understand that!"

Zuko spoke through his teeth. "I am fully aware of that concept, Uncle. Thank you—again—for reminding me; for not allowing me to forget…"

"I have no wish to fight with you, Zuko. None at all. This should be a happy day for you. What you have planned for tonight is the perfect opportunity to relax and have fun. Forget about the meetings and generals. Forget about the Earth King. Forget it all, just for tonight. Be with your wife and your friends. Simply relax, Zuko. That's all I ask. Now, I will leave you to your thoughts, and I will have high hopes that you take my advice," Iroh said, bowing his head.

"Thank you, Uncle. And I mean that truthfully. Thank you." Zuko straightened himself, taking Iroh's hand in his in a gentle handshake.

"You're welcome, Nephew. Just, please do as I say. Just this once," Iroh smiled.

Zuko nodded. "I'll try, Uncle."

"I'll see you tonight at the celebration. Goodbye, for now, Zuko."

"Goodbye, Uncle."

* * *

Katara sat alone, simply by herself. It didn't bother her, being on her own in the palace, but it did give her the small amount of peace that she had throughout the day. She didn't expect anyone to interrupt her peace—not that she was a big person in the practice of meditation, because she wasn't—and no one had ever really tried to. She simply sat in the gardens, admiring the day's light on her face. It was so peaceful in the gardens that, on occasion, she would forget where she was; of course, that would be until she remembered that she had to remind someone, or herself, to do something, or the like.

But, for now, she sat in her and Zuko's usual spot, underneath the tree in the garden, looking out at the pond. She didn't have any bread to throw to the small turtle-ducks there, but they did not seem to mind too much. They seemed content with swimming in small circles, quacking gaily. At least, that was until two of the smaller ones started to bicker at one another. But the mother wouldn't have that; she swam right in between the two, quacking her disappointment. After their scolding, they separated; one swam one way, the second another way; the mother seemed pleased.

Katara giggled at the exchange between mother and children. Oh, how she wished for them—for children; for motherhood. She closed her eyes, turned her face to the clouds, and whispered a plea, a plea to the spirits to grant her and Zuko a child. A light breeze ruffled her hair and she willed for it to be a response. She knew that there was the possibility to have complications with any pregnancy she had. She knew that she, herself, could be at risk of being harmed. The physicians had explained that to her. Her family had explained that to her. _Zuko_ had explained that to her. Her brain understood that logic, but her heart would not agree; it refused. She very well understood and was perfectly aware of the consequences, of what might happen to both her and the baby. But none of that mattered to her. She longed for a child, to be a mother.

After his confession, Katara very well understood the aversion that Zuko had on the subject of children. He had seen her suffer, witnessed the tears of sadness fall down her face as they explained to her what had happened. The amount of sadness and sense of failure, however, he did not understand. The idea of failing her child had overwhelmed her, and only ripped a bigger hole in her heart. But she had not let anyone see that, not even Zuko. She had put on her mask and held her head high, held back the tears every time she heard an apology or received a hug, or pat on the back, for every 'Sorry for your loss…'

Now, it seemed as though _she_ was offering the reassurance, the prayers, all for her husband. But, despite her best efforts, Zuko would not budge on the matter.

_I can't Katara. I can't do this anymore,_ her brain quoted him, months after the incident. _We will only end up hurting ourselves if we keep trying like this… If making love to you is going to become a chore, one that is gives us no result, then I can't keep doing this anymore. I can't…_ And with that, he had walked away. Katara knew that she had to stay strong for everyone around her, including herself, but only now would she admit to the fact that her age was now creeping up the doorstep. She knew that it should not be an issue, but, for the first time in her life, Katara wished that she could simply turn back time.

She had made progress as of late, however. He had told her that they would try again, when she was ready. But he refused to believe her when she told him she _was ready_. He could be so stubborn sometimes.

Katara blinked at the sudden darkness of the garden. She was surprised that no one had come for her, no matter how deep in thought she may have seemed. She instantly became concerned, and stood, dusting the dirt off her robes.

_I wonder why no one came for me_, she thought. She figured it wasn't that late, as the sun was only just starting to disappear under the horizon. Katara figured that it must be around meal time, and if that notion was true, the dining hall would be where everyone was. She shrugged to herself and began to head in that direction.

* * *

As she walked, Katara began to notice that there was no one in the halls; none at all. She had thought nothing of it, at first, but as she kept walking, the empty, quiet halls possessed an eerie feeling that could only be described in a scary story. Katara shivered at the idea, but kept heading for the dining hall nonetheless.

As she reached the large, ornate doors of the dining hall, she was relieved to see light coming out from under them. But no noise could be heard. Katara shrugged to herself again and opened the doors, only to be jolted backwards with the sound of screaming and clapping.

"_Surprise!_"

Katara blinked for a few seconds, registering what was going on. The dining hall was filled with people. To her right, flowers and flickering candles were placed elegantly on a table holding—what it looked to be—an array of finger foods. A small band was playing a soft tune in the background to her left, and separating her from other bodies in the room was what appeared to be a dance floor. As soon as her heart caught up with her, her mind began to register all of the smiling faces in the room.

"What—What's going on, here?" she asked stupidly, walking forward into the room. Her eyes focused on the small group of four directly in front of her: Aang, Toph, Sokka, and a pregnant Suki.

"A surprise party!" Aang smiled.

Katara managed a chuckle. "For what?"

"For your birthday, silly!" Sokka laughed, stepping forward to embrace her.

Katara shook her head, returning the hug. "But how are you here? All of you? Especially you two!" She stepped out of the hug and gestured to her brother and sister-in-law.

Sokka smiled. "Oh, come on! I wouldn't miss my little sister's birthday celebration!"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "But my birthday is not for a few more days."

"Well, duh. C'mon, Katara. I may forget a lot of things, but I _do_ remember when your actual birthday is!"

Katara looked to the Avatar. "And _you_! You told me that you wouldn't be able to be here for my birthday because you had to go to the Air Temple!" She crossed her arms.

Aang shrugged. "Well, I figured we could hold out another couple of nights."

Toph nodded. "Anything for you, Sweetness."

Something finally clicked in Katara's brain. "But—Wait. Who planned all this?"

"Take a wild guess," a familiar voice said from behind her. Katara turned around to see Zuko entering the room, a big smile plastered on his face. She was surprised to see him not wearing his usual Fire Lord attire, and she immediately felt overdressed. She blushed as he approached her.

"_I hate you!_" she said, lightly slapping his chest. "I told you I _didn't_ want to do _anything_ for my birthday!" She playfully slapped at his chest again.

Zuko laughed, snaking an arm around her waist. "I know. But I still think your birthday is something worthy of having a celebration for." He then looked up to Sokka. "Hey, man, how've you been?"

"I'm good, thanks for asking. You?" Sokka asked, taking Zuko's arm in a traditional Water Tribe fashion.

"Same old. Paperwork. Nothing much," Zuko shrugged.

"Ugh! I don't know how you do it, man," Sokka shook his head.

The Fire Lord chuckled. "Ha! Speak for yourself. You live on a frozen wasteland filled with nothing but ice and snow! At least, here, we have buildings that don't melt!"

"You're just jealous because you don't live there," Sokka stuck his tongue out as if he were a child. Zuko shook his head, laughing.

"Whatever you say, Sokka. Hey, Katara? I have to go talk to someone. I'll be right back, okay?" he said, glancing at her, his head cocked to the side.

"What? Where are you going? Who do you need to talk to?" Katara said, looking around as if trying to find the face of one of his advisors or generals. Her search ended in vain as the only people she could see were her friends, give or take a few servants here and there.

"Nothing you need to worry about. Besides, this will give you time to catch up with everyone. I'll be back, I promise," he said, placing a quick kiss to her head. Her eyes followed him to the doors of the room, and when he disappeared behind them, she turned back to the gang, giving her brother a hug.

"Okay, Katara. I get it. Enough with the hugs. I get it. You just can't stand being away from your big brother," Sokka smirked.

"Oh, yeah. That's _exactly_ what it is," She turned, glancing around the room. "Hey, you guys want to sit down over there? We can really catch up, then," she said, gesturing to one of the tables on the other side of the room. From what she saw, there were just enough chairs for everyone.

"I couldn't agree with you more," Suki chuckled, stroking her belly.

"Oh, Spirits, Suki, how have you been? I can't even tell you how excited I was when I got Sokka's letter…" Katara said as she sat, smiling.

"You can't even imagine. I definitely think the baby has more of Sokka in them, seeing as they keep kicking me day and night."

"Hey! I don't kick you!" Sokka said, mock horror in his tone.

Suki smiled. "No, but you _can_ be a major pain in my butt from time to time."

"So, everything is going fine? No complications or anything like that?" Katara asked, eyeing Suki's pregnant belly.

She smiled. "Nope. It's all been fine. The new healers back in the Southern Water Tribe tell me that the baby is healthy and everything is going the way it should. Oh! Gran told me to send you her regards as well. You know how she is with traveling…"

"Of course, I'm glad she's doing well. But, I'm worried about _you_. I mean, I know how it was carrying a baby. It's hard work. How are you holding up?"

Suki was taken aback by Katara's words. How could she mention her pregnancy so freely? Regaining her composure, she answered, "I have no idea, honestly. I guess I'm doing something right, seeing as the baby is healthy."

"Well, that's a good thing! Have you thought of any names? Or are you going to just come up with one on the spot?" Katara asked, looking between both Sokka and Suki.  
"We don't really know, yet. Still kind of tossing a couple things around. But, we'll see," Sokka said, smiling.

"And Aang, you said you had to go to Ember Island the other day? How did that go?" Katara asked, looking to the Avatar.

"It was great! The weather was perfect for flying, so we didn't have to worry about time. Appa got us there early, actually. Anyway, yeah, the merchants are doing much better after those raids a couple months back. Everyone is getting back on their feet just fine."

"That is really good news. I didn't know much about the raids; Zuko doesn't really like telling me about those things. He says that he doesn't want me to worry too much. I only got the basics. But, I'm glad everyone is getting back in the sway of things."

"How's Zuko? I mean, Aang told us that he was pretty stressed out the other day when he and Toph were here. He mentioned that he had a bunch of paperwork to get through, earlier. Is everything okay?" Sokka asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Katara offered him a reassuring smile. "Yeah, of course. He's just been really stressed about this meeting with the Earth King about the reconstruction of Ba Sing Se. He feels like the Earth King is going to turn down every idea that he has, best-case scenario, agree to his plans, but then change a million things, as well."

"Oh. Well, I'm pretty sure it won't be like that," Suki said. "I mean, Zuko's smart. He won't let anything like that happen."

Katara managed a laugh. "Yeah. But you should have seen him this morning. He was practically swimming in paperwork, trying to finalize his plans for tomorrow. I'm surprised he even had enough time to do this whole celebration thing. I just—I love him, and I wish he didn't have to be this stressed out all of the time." She looked up at her little family, all their smiling faces. "I wish he was here now. I want him to be able to relax and have a little fun after all the stress he's been through."

"Wish granted," Zuko said, coming up behind Katara, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She looked up at him and smiled. "You heard all of that, didn't you?"

He shrugged. "'Fraid so."

Katara looked up at Zuko, then to her friends, then quickly back to Zuko.

He took notice of her expression. "What?" he asked, leaning down so she could whisper in his ear.

"I feel completely overdressed," she whispered, gesturing to her formal robes, and then to his simple shirt-and-pants combo.

He chuckled. "Don't worry about it." He straightened and addressed the group. "Hey, guys? Would you mind if I stole Katara?"

"No problem," Sokka said, waving Zuko away as if he were an annoying insect. Zuko laughed and took Katara by the elbow.

"Come on, Katara. I have another surprise for you," he said, leading Katara away from the group. She turned and gave the group a little wave, one that was returned with enthusiastic smiles from her friends.

She turned back to Zuko, who was now pulling her to the back of the room. "I don't think I can handle any other surprises tonight, Zuko," Katara said. But right as she finished her sentence, she looked up to see Iroh smiling at her.

"Hello, Katara," Iroh smiled.

"Uncle!" She laughed, embracing him. "You, too? I thought you had to get back to your tea shop?"

"Well, I'm confident that my assistants can handle the tea shop while I am gone. After all, I believe my niece's birthday celebration is just a little more important." He winked.

"But, how—"

"My nephew has his ways of keeping secrets."

Katara looked up and narrowed her eyes at her husband, who, at the moment, seemed to be holding back a laugh. His smile gave him away.

Zuko dared to look at her. "What?"

"Did I mention that I _hate_ you?" she asked, punching his shoulder.

"Ouch! Enough with the physical abuse, already! Just think about it—if you keep this up, you are only hurting yourself because if you keep hitting me, you're just going to be up all night healing my bruises." He rubbed at his shoulder in an overly-dramatic fashion.

"Oh, don't be such a baby."

Zuko scoffed at her comment, but quickly regained composure. "And, yes, you did mention your hatred of me earlier. But personally, I don't really think that that's true." He suddenly pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

Iroh smiled at the exchange between the two. "Well, if you'll excuse me, it has been a while since I have spoken to the Avatar, and I wish to greet him and the others. You two have fun."

As soon as Iroh was out of earshot, Katara turned to Zuko. "How in the world did you plan all of this?"

He shrugged. "Like Uncle said, I can be very secretive."

Katara squinted at him. "Uh, huh. And you know how much I hate parties? Especially when they are centered around me? Apparently Sokka never told you how disastrous my birthdays were when we were little."

"No, he didn't. Although, I will make a mental note to ask him about that." He tapped his chin as if in deep thought. Katara glared. "What? I was kidding! Anyway, I know you don't like big celebrations, but I felt that you needed to have this time to be with your friends and family. In light of recent events, I think you owe it to yourself to relax and have fun for a change."

She sighed. "_Our _family and friends."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "Huh?"

Katara shook her head. "You said '_my_' family and friends. Correction: it's _our_ family and friends."

"Well, tonight, it's about you, not me."

"I love you," she chuckled.

"I thought you said you hated me?" he said, smirking.

"Do you want to get hit again?" she asked playfully.

"No. I'm just saying, that's what you told me before. Now, all of a sudden, you change your mind? I'm just confused…" he joked.

"Don't ruin it," she said, hugging him.

He laughed in her ear. "Whatever you say, Birthday Girl."

"That counts as ruining it," she said. Looking up from the hug, she furrowed her eyebrows. "So, what ever happened to the whole 'relaxation day' plan, huh?"

"Oh, it's still on. I have arranged everything. I am officially off duty as Fire Lord on your birthday. No exceptions," he laughed.

"Oh, that's a relief. I thought this was in replacement of that." He shook his head and she hugged him again.

He finally returned the hug, pulling her to his chest. Just as they did, the music began to play a little louder, a soft tune that Katara could only recognize from their wedding.

Zuko looked up at the sound of the music and smiled. He backed up a couple steps and offered his hand. "Care for a dance?" he asked, smiling.

Katara lifted an eyebrow. "You hate dancing, Zuko."

His smile grew. "True. But it's a special occasion." He grabbed her hand and began pulling her to the center of the room, where couples (including Sokka and Suki, as well as Aang and Toph) were dancing. "Come on."

Katara smiled as he pulled her to the center of the floor and blushed as he placed an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. As Zuko began to set the pace of the dance, swaying back and forth, everything around Katara seemed to disappear. It was as if she were the heroine of every girl's fantasy; where she finds her love with every possible cliché that one would find in an old-time storybook following close behind, dancing the night away to her certain happy ending. She felt like she was floating, and the only thing holding her to the ground was Zuko. The only thing she felt was Zuko, and as she pressed her cheek to his chest, the only thing she could hear was his heartbeat, steadily thumping in her ear. She had no sense of direction and had no idea where he was leading her in their dance. She only knew that she trusted him and that he wouldn't lead her astray. She simply relaxed, letting him guide her along the dance floor, humming softly along with the music, taking in his warmth, his scent.

When the soft music ceased, a louder, more up-tempo rhythm taking its place, she felt Zuko stop his movements. She looked up just in time to see his eyes close and to feel his lips on hers. He kissed her lovingly for a moment, but by the time she registered her thoughts and began to return the kiss, he pulled back.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand. Still dazed from his kiss, it took her a second to realize that he was heading for the door.

"Zuko! I can't just leave my own party!" She made an attempt to pull her hand out of his grasp, but he held fast.

"No big deal. You're the Guest of Honor, and you get to choose when you leave," he said, pulling her towards the door.

She resisted. "But—" He cut her off with another kiss.

"It's fine. Come on," he pulled her again, and this time, she didn't argue.

* * *

It seemed like seconds before they arrived at their chamber doors and Zuko pulled her through, locking the door behind him. As soon as he turned back to her, his lips were on hers again, only more passionate than before. She was reluctant to kiss back and so, placing her hands flat on his chest, she tried to push him away. Katara failed at first, but finally succeeded, if not for only a few inches. His head pulled back only a fraction, his lips hovering over hers.

"What about the party? Don't we have to say goodbye to everyone?" she panted.

"Everyone leaves in a few days' time. Don't worry, you have time to spend with everyone, especially tomorrow while I'm meeting with the Earth King. They were all going to leave tomorrow, but I told them that it was ludicrous to only visit for one night. You have time, trust me," he said in a rush, kissing her lips again as a form of punctuation.

She pushed him back again. "But, don't you want to say goodbye to everyone, too?"

"It's fine. I'll have time to say it." He kissed her lips again, pulling her closer to him.

"But—" He cut her off her off with a sigh.

"Katara, I love you, but, please, shut up." He kissed her a fourth time, hoping that she would relax and not worry so much. When she didn't interrupt him, he broke away, smiling.

She took advantage of his break for air. "Okay," she said, returning the smile. She returned her lips to his and he chuckled, a low, throaty sound that vibrated against her fingers as her hands ghosted over his neck, her arms going around his shoulders. Satisfied with her action, Zuko deepened the kiss.

He began to walk her backwards towards the bed, and Katara went willingly, smiling into the kiss. As she walked, Zuko aided her in shedding her outer robe, letting it fall in a pool of crimson on the chamber floor. Finally free from the confinement of her formal robes, Katara replaced her arms around his neck as one of his hands weaved itself into her loose hair. Their lips broke for a second as Katara lay back on the bed, pulling Zuko with her.

Their lips connected for what seemed like the hundredth time. More articles of clothing were strewn across the floor, forgotten. When they finally became one, both hummed with happiness—a happiness one could only achieve by being with the one they loved. Each touch was reciprocated; each kiss or embrace mirrored with the same amount of love and passion; each sigh of contentment echoed with the same joy that the other possessed.

As they came down from their individual highs, they lay there in silence, one that was no longer awkward and uncomfortable, but peaceful, needed. Each knew what the other was thinking, feeling. The solid contentment of being in each other's arms became palpable as their breaths evened out.

* * *

Zuko gave into sleep first, his arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting lazily on her chest, moving up and down ever-so-slightly with her breathing. Katara blinked up at the ceiling, thoughts an empty space. As the room began to find the moonlight, Katara felt she needed to say something. She simply _had_ to know.

"Zuko?" she whispered. No response. She tried again; only this time, her voice seemed stronger, more confident. "Zuko?"

"Hmm?" he hummed thoughtfully, his eyes still closed.

Katara hesitated for a moment. "So does this mean we're trying again?" She winced at her question, afraid of his answer, though she didn't entirely know why.

Zuko lifted his head off her chest and looked into her eyes. He saw her fear there and he immediately knew that she was dreading any answer that he would give. But, to her surprise, he kissed her.

Katara inwardly gasped at his actions, her thoughts becoming a vicious blur. _Was he downright avoiding the question? Is he trying not to hurt my feelings by refusing to answer? Refusing me? What is going on in his head right now? _she thought, unable to gather any sort of answer to any of her questions through his body language. She held fast, remaining unresponsive to his kiss, though gentle as it was.

When he finally pulled away, sighing contentedly, she eyed him silently begging him for an answer. He leaned on his elbow, studying her face.

"Does this mean we're trying?" she asked again hoping to hide her sense of hope deep within her. To her surprise, however, he smiled. In the dim moonlight, she could see his head nod.

"Yes?" she said, her voice quiet, almost a squeak.

Zuko smiled. "Yes."

As much as she wanted to believe him, she just had to get some kind of confirmation. "We're trying?"

He chuckled, nodding his head. "We're trying."

Katara gasped, pulling him down to her in an embrace. He laughed at her enthusiasm, returning her hug. Pulling back, she grasped his face in her hands, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Thank you," she breathed, "so much."

Zuko blinked at her, reveling in her happiness, her joy. He marveled how _at peace_ she was with his words, how easily he could make her happy. It gave him a sense of gratification. With that, his head returned to her chest and he sighed, ignoring the fire that seemed to creep up into his stomach at the contact.

"What made you change your mind?" she whispered.

He chuckled. "Uncle."

"Uncle?"

"Yeah. Remember when I said I had to talk to someone?" He felt her nod. "Well, that's where I went. We talked for a bit, and then we walked back to the celebration together."

"And what did he tell you?" she asked, her hand coming up to stroke his hair.

"Well, I had already been thinking about it, and had made my decision. But, I felt that I had to talk to him, as well. I mean, you know how helpful he is when it comes to being unsure of a decision. He's really helped me a lot. I don't know what I'd do without him," he said, as if in his own world. He was brought back to the present at the feeling of Katara's hand on his ear. Her fingers traced down the scarred side of his face before curling around his jaw, willing him to look at her.

"You knew before you even talked to him? That you wanted to try again?"

"Yeah, I did," he breathed, not meeting her eyes, "I saw how upset you were. Any time the subject came up. I was just so thick-skulled to realize how ridiculous I was being. I'm sorry. My only worry is that something will happen to you again, or the baby. You and Uncle are the only real things in my life right now, and if I lose _you_—"

"Shush. Nothing's going to happen to me. Besides, nothing has even happened, yet. We only just agreed to try," she said gently, laying his head back on her chest, her hand stroking his hair once again.

"I know. It's still a big step for me, though."

"I know it is. It is for me, too." She kissed his head. "I love you, Zuko. And thank you for the party. Now, get some sleep; you have a big day tomorrow."

"You're very welcome, Katara." His voice seemed distance now, muffled. She knew it was only a matter of time before he was asleep.

Katara continued to blink up at the ceiling, her mind finally finding peace and contentment. She tried to focus on her husband's breathing, allowing it to lull her to unconsciousness. Her hand traveled gently through Zuko's hair as he slept, his scent enveloping her as she willed the sound of his breath to bring her slowly to her own sleep-induced peace.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 6: Politics

******Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

******Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Politics**

* * *

His thoughts are scrambled, a jumbled mix of fear and desperation. He decides to do the only thing that he can think of.

_Does this make me pathetic? Yes. It does. I'm pathetic. I mean, what kind of person would do this? I'll be fine. He said that everything was fine. I just need to be brave and do this whole thing on my own—No! I need his help. But, honestly, how bad could it be? Bad. Okay, here it _goes… He brings up a shaky fist and knocks on the large, ornate doors as his thoughts taunt him, making him even more insecure about his decision.

_Never mind. I can't ask him to do this. Of course I can, he's family! No—he shouldn't have to fight my battles for me. I'm being a coward._ He turns to leave.

The door opens.

_Too late…_

"Zuko?" Iroh exclaimed, furrowing his brow at his nephew's sudden appearance. "Shouldn't you be heading off to your meeting at this time? Nothing happened with the Earth King's arrival, I hope? Everything is running smoothly?"

Zuko coughed. "Uh, actually, Uncle, that's why I'm here…"

Iroh stepped out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Iroh was dressed in his normal attire and Zuko smiled inwardly at how he was already dressed for the day, considering it was still so early.

"What seems to be the problem, Zuko?"

The Fire Lord cleared his throat. _How do I ask this of him?_ "Uh, well, Uncle, I was hoping that you would accompany me to the meeting with the Earth King." His eyes met the ground, afraid at what the old man would have to say to his ridiculous request.

Iroh's confusion was evident in his voice. "And why do you require my company to your meeting, Nephew?"

Zuko sighed. "I was hoping that your presence would calm my nerves when it comes to speaking to the Earth King and projecting the plans. Stupid, I know."

"Did you ask Katara to accompany you to the meeting?"

He shook his head. "She's still sleeping. And I wouldn't want to bother her with this. She hates going to meetings like this, for one. Secondly, she already has plans for the good duration of the day."

"You will have Jeong Jeong there as one of your advisors, am I correct?"

"Yes, but I honestly would feel much safer with you there. You've been to so many of these things…" Zuko shrugged.

Iroh managed a chuckle. "Honestly, Nephew, the only meetings I had ever participated in had revolved solely around war and which village to destroy next… And I have no real knowledge of making _peace_ with other monarchs."

Zuko's face scrunched up as if he was in pain. "I just feel like having someone who trusts my judgment will calm my nerves. And also to have my back."

This time, Iroh laughed out loud. "No worries, my nephew. I will be happy to accompany you to the Earth King's meeting. I can't imagine what help I will be to you considering the circumstances, but…" Iroh chuckled, placing his hands on the Fire Lord's shoulders. He needed to go to the earth king's house.

Zuko smiled, bowing his head. "Thank you, Uncle. You have no idea what this means to me."

* * *

"So, Nephew, where exactly is this meeting with Earth King Burei being held? Not the War Room, I suspect?" Iroh inquired, sneaking a peek at Zuko out of the corner of his eye. "I say that because," he laughed, "we are currently walking in the exact opposite direction."

"No, Uncle. I did not want to hold this meeting in there for a lot of reasons. Many of them, you can probably guess." He looked at Iroh. "I thought it would be more appropriate for us to meet the Earth King in more comfortable setting. I figured the War Room did not fit that description, so I opted for the conference hall on the other side of the palace. I just hope it's accommodating enough for the meeting…"

"I'm sure it is more than fitting," Iroh smiled.

"I got word that the Earth King is awaiting our arrival and we should be the last to arrive…" Zuko sighed, his pace changing to that of a slower one. "But how am I supposed to convince the Earth King to go along with the plans that I have drawn out? I've never been good with negotiations and you know that!" He looked at the floor as he walked, afraid to meet the old man's eyes.

"I have faith in you, Nephew. I am more than confident in your skills as a ruler."

"I've never been good at the political aspect of it…"

Iroh laughed at this. "No one ever is, Zuko. Look, we're here." He gestured to the doors a few paces away from them. "Now stop belittling yourself. I'm sure everything will flow nicely."

As they approached the conference hall, the guards outside gave synchronized bows and reached to open the doors for the two.

"Greetings, Fire Lord Zuko. Earth King Burei is waiting for you," one of the guards said. He glanced at Iroh and bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Sir."

"Deep breaths, Nephew. Everything will be fine," Iroh smiled as they entered.

"Well, glad to know that the _Fire Lord_ did not oversleep as I had suspected. Good to know that we can finally begin this pathetic waste of my time," the older man across the room said, acid in his tone.

Iroh's smile vanished. "Of course, I could be wrong," he muttered, only for his nephew's ears.

Zuko managed a polite smile, greeting the man across the room. "Your Highness," he said, bowing his head respectfully.

The old man did not return the kind gesture. Instead, he laced his fingers together, placing his hands on the table. "Fire Lord Zuko."

"Please, just Zuko is fine," he said, calmly, taking his seat on the opposite side of the room, Jeong Jeong to his left, Iroh to his right.

"Well, _Fire Lord Zuko_," he said, stressing the words, "why don't we get started?" He offered a slight smile.

Zuko glanced at Iroh and then quickly back to the Earth King. "Certainly."

Unlike the War Room, the conference hall was a much more comfortable place to have a meeting, and despite the Earth King's harsh greeting, Zuko was somewhat glad he had opted to organize the meeting here. Instead of the harsh reds and gold, along with poor lighting, like the War Room, the hall was very bright and peaceful. It was not a very large room, to begin with—seemingly too small to be considered to be a "hall" in the first place, but none would question its appeal—and there was no need for unnecessary decoration. The walls bore the warm color of mahogany, a color fitting enough for a room to still boast _Fire Nation_ with its warmth, but still cool enough to make it not overbearing. Not a flame flickered in the room, nor were there any artistic representations in the furniture or flooring. Simply enough, the only thing adorning the walls—save for a few light fixtures on the opposite side of the door, illuminated by small, white crystals—was a world map, large enough to cover nearly three quarters of the southern wall. In the middle of the room, there was a long table, a few shades darker than the walls, nearly black. Around it sat just enough chairs (the same dark color as the table) to hold a company needed for a meeting of this magnitude, but enough to not make it seem like too much. As if to add to the welcoming ambiance of the room, large planters made their home in each corner, giving the hall a more study-like feel to it. All in all, it truly was a lovely room, and Zuko only wished he held all of his meetings here.

As if to jump right into the matter at hand, Zuko took the first scroll from Jeong Jeong, a forced smile on his face. As he unrolled the parchment, he turned his gaze to the Earth King. "Well, firstly, I'd like to start out by speaking about the construction of the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. After all, that has been, and always will be, the stronghold of the city—"

"It _was_ until the Dai Li destroyed it by the command of the Fire Nation's princess," the Earth King muttered, indifferent. "Kuei was too weak of a king to save his people from complete and utter destruction; not to mention embarrassment and shame!"

Zuko stared, shocked at the Earth King's words. He cleared his throat. "Well, as Fire Lord, I do feel responsible for the trauma that the people of Ba Sing Se faced during that time, and I am prepared to personally oversee the reconstruction of the city's walls. If that requires my personal contribution to the efforts, then so be it. I will do my best to help in any way I can."

"Well, how nice of you," the Earth King answered. "However that does not offer assistance to those who needed it when _your_ nation's soldiers were marching through my city!" the Earth King spat. "What greatness has this nation done to help repair the damage already done in one hundred years' time?"

"The Fire Nation has already agreed to help restore the Air Temples, as well as patched things over with each of the Water Tribes," Zuko offered. "And sir, if I may, that was during a time of war, not the peaceful times we live in now after Avatar Aang—"

"I do not care about your little adventures with the _Avatar_ and his friends. I do not care about what you and your friends—mere _children_—did. And I do not particularly busy myself with thoughts on how you so _chose _Lady Katara as your bride. Love? More like a political statement, if you would ask the opinion of _anyone _who knew wood from stone. You must admit to yourself, why would any Water Tribe maiden willingly wed a boy from the Fire Nation—Fire Nation _royalty, _for that matter?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes, anger seething deep in his belly. "I can assure you, my marriage to Katara is _none _of your concern, or the Earth Kingdom's. The love I have for my wife has absolutely _nothing _to do with—"

"I say again—Love? Keep telling yourself that, _dear Fire Lord_.Why would anyone willingly marry into such a family? Nonetheless, it is really not my place to judge such spiritual contracts as the marriage between two nations. I am not Water Tribe. I am _certainly _not Fire Nation. As such, I have no say in what the other nations do to keep themselves on good terms with the world's tyrants! But as I said, I do not lose sleep over these things. I don't care! It's as simple as that!

"But I do care about the Earth Kingdom. And it just so happens that I _do_ care about the fact that I now sit in the same room with a man (if he can even be referred to as such) that came into my city, lived within my walls, and turned out to be none other than the Prince of the Fire Nation: a _boy_ who—scarred and cast out of his own country—could no longer decide on what was right for the world, but only cared about what riches his greedy little Fire Nation hands could lay a finger on. On top of that (lest we forget to mention it) he was living in Ba Sing Se with his uncle, The Dragon of the West—the same man who had made it his life goal to bring siege to as well as _destroy_ my city. I have tolerated his living in Ba Sing Se, due to his success with his shop in my city. I still have no idea why so many people would be willing to purchase food and drink from a Fire Nation man, but I digress…"

The Earth King shook his head and he gave a forced chuckle. "Either way, The Dragon of the West has _no _business sitting in on this meeting about the plans that I hold for my city after he wanted to destroy it. And it just tickles me that you have the decency to bring such a man into this room and ask for my cooperation and agreement to your less-than-promising, _immature_ plans to rebuild something that you know absolutely nothing about!"

Zuko's temper was flaring and the deep breaths he took no longer calmed him, but fueled his rage, now threatening to tear its way out of his own skin. He could just imagine a hellish, demonic creature bursting forth out of his chest, twitching and snarling, a haze of both his hatred and anger lashing out at the Earth King, leaving him a bloodied, bruised mess at the back of the room. _How dare he say those things to me?_ He could taste the smoke from the fire burning deep within his stomach, its essence mixing with the metallic flavor that now flowed freely from his bitten tongue, leaving his palate with an awful aftertaste. _How dare he?_ He felt as though he could vomit, already feeling the extra saliva collecting behind his lips, now chapped from his constant gnawing of the soft flesh. He closed his eyes, fisting his hands underneath the table, suppressing the urge to simply launch himself across the room and snap the man's neck. "Your Highness? Please. My uncle's presence is in no way a stab at your peop—"

"His _presence_ is nothing more than salt in my open wounds—"

"Enough!"

The room quieted as if the world had suddenly come to a stop. Every face in the room turned to Jeong Jeong, who was now enraged by the meeting's turn of events. The Fire Lord and Earth King blinked in surprise at the sudden outburst from the elderly man and the two men sitting beside the Earth King (his advisors) were equally stunned. Jeong Jeong turned to a wide-eyed Zuko, silently asking for permission to speak. The Fire Lord gave a stiff nod, glancing sideways at the man across the table.

Jeong Jeong looked to the Earth King. "Your Majesty, if I may be so blunt, do you truly want to make peace with the Fire Nation?"

"Yes," the Earth King stated, offering no hesitation. "I believe it is in the world's best interest."

"Then why do you insist on harassing my nation's leader, ridiculing his family, and questioning his actions of nearly _five_ years' history?"

For the first time, the Earth King seemed to be at a loss for words. The man sitting immediately to his right leaned over, whispering some unknown words into the Earth King's ear who then seemed to whisper something back. A sneer quickly found its way onto the Earth King's face, and vanished just as quickly. Zuko swallowed audibly, wondering just what words the two men had exchanged. Judging by the Earth King's change in posture and facial expression, the Zuko came to the conclusion that the harsh criticism was far from over. He let out a heavy sigh, resisting the urge to rake his hands through his hair in exasperation, only to pinch the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as he considered. Another sigh escaped him, its intentions pointing inward, inaudible to the others.

_This is going to be a long day…_

* * *

As the morning light in the room became too much to bear, Katara reluctantly opened her eyes. She stretched her arms out, meeting nothing but empty sheets next to her, just as she expected. On any other day, Katara would have thrown a fit about how Zuko left her without so much as a goodbye kiss in the morning before he went to attend to his meetings and other duties. But—strangely—nothing could hinder the smile that immediately spread across her face upon awakening. She was happy, giddy even. She sat up slowly, allowing her muscles to stretch in that way that always seems to make everything feel alive, energetic.

A small knock came from the door, forcing Katara to leave the bed. After throwing on a robe and tying it at the waist, she opened the door to find Rina, one of her lady's maids, and by far her favorite of the palace staff.

Rina was a small girl, a few years younger than Katara, and more around Toph's age. Her father was one of Zuko's top generals so, although still young, she knew her way around the palace well. She had a gentle face and graceful demeanor (quite an uncommon mixture among the staff) and she had taken with her position rather quickly. Katara had admired her kindness and friendly wit, something that Zuko's "work now, play later" attitude wouldn't even acknowledge if it were served on a silver platter. That didn't matter to Katara, however; she liked having a personal relationship with the help, a relationship that one would only share with a very close friend. It gave her someone to talk to on those long, lonely days when she didn't have Zuko to keep her company, given his constant comings and goings.

Upon seeing her, Katara smiled. "Good morning, Rina."

"Good morning, my lady," Rina said, bowing her head. "You seem happy this morning."

Katara shrugged. "I am, actually. I'm feeling better than I have in quite a while."

"Would it have anything to do with Fire Lord Zuko's surprise party last night?" Rina asked, flashing a knowing smile.

"Maybe," Katara smirked.

"That's great news, my lady," Rina answered, smiling. "I'm glad that everything worked out. The Fire Lord was very worried that it wouldn't."

Katara nodded. "Speaking of which, did my husband make it to the meeting alright?"

Rina nodded immediately following Katara's question. "Yes. Fire Lord Zuko is with the Earth King now; though, from what I've heard, it's not going very well." Her face fell.

_Poor Zuko,_ she thought. "Well, I'm sure it will all work out." _I hope,_ her subconscious added.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Where is General Sagi this morning? Is he with Zuko in the meeting?"

"No, ma'am. My father has the day off today, though I do not know of his current whereabouts," Rina said quietly. For some reason, any time anyone mentioned Rina's father, she seemed apprehensive. Perhaps they didn't have the best father-daughter relationship. Katara did not know, nor did she ever really think it was her business to ask.

"Is there something wrong in the palace?" Katara couldn't help but ask. "I rarely have any visitors this time of day," she said. She craned her neck to glance behind Rina as if she would be able to spot anything out of the ordinary simply by looking in the hallway. Noticing the Lady's efforts, Rina shook her head.

"No, ma'am. I'm here simply to pass on a message," Rina smiled. "Avatar Aang told me to tell you that they will all meet you in the library shortly."

"Oh, well, thank you, Rina. Tell them I'll be waiting?"

"Of course, my lady," Rina said, bowing her head.

As Rina left, Katara started to feel the giddiness bubble back into her stomach. She stepped back into the bedroom, trying to occupy herself with getting ready so as not to squeal out loud. Katara made her way into the immense closet that was adjacent to the washroom. Scanning through her clothing, skipping anything formal completely, and she stopped when she finally found one of her old Water Tribe outfits. Though this particular outfit grew to be a bit snug over the years, she couldn't bring herself to part with it—it was part of her; and it was the perfect attire to wear when it came to a day with her friends. Sure, Katara loved to be able to dress in the intricate, formal clothing, but nothing would compare to being able to relax in something that was actually _comfortable_ to wear and not simply for appearance's sake only.

As she stepped out of the closet, fingering the soft, familiar fabric in her hands, she couldn't help but be reminded of those old times—back when she didn't have to worry about letting an entire country down, and not just her family. At the thought, her hand reflexively went to her neck, finding her mother's necklace. Katara smiled inwardly, remembering Zuko's insistence on wearing the necklace, even after their engagement. He had told her that since it was such an important trinket, while knowing full-well of what it meant to her, that he would feel ashamed with himself if he had her wear any other pendant, despite what tradition called for. Though she felt guilty at first by not wearing something Zuko had given her as a symbol of their relationship, Katara was happy that she had agreed to his reasoning.

_Oh, Zuko…_

The smile would not leave Katara's face as she dressed. She was just too happy to contain it. The memory of his face, the contentedness and downright happiness she had seen there last night. Her smile grew at the memory of his smile, the nod of his head in the dim light, his answer to her hesitant question. His words from last night kept replaying in her head:

_We're trying._

_We're trying…_

"We're trying," she smiled, glancing at herself in the mirror. If her smile grew any wider, she was sure her face would crack in half.

Of course, Katara knew deep inside that his words made no promises. There were no guarantees. Her mind knew well of what the consequences were, the possibility of history repeated. She feared it and she knew he feared it, too. His reluctance to come to a decision such as this made her wonder just what it was that Iroh had said to him—what had caused his change of heart, and so suddenly. Simply by the thought of it, her mouth went dry.

Still, as Katara gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but notice the glow that seemed to emanate off of her, and the smile returned. She would not allow such thoughts to cloud her mind on such a happy day. Finally turning away from the mirror, pleased with her comfortable and natural look, she headed out of the chambers, ready for a day of relaxation filled with laughter and happiness with her family.

* * *

The palace's immense library was one of Katara's most favorite rooms. For all intents and purposes, it was the only room for her to go and actually be able to relax when she didn't have duties to attend to, which wasn't that often. Shelves upon shelves adorned the walls, stacked with books, scrolls, and parchments of all sorts and genres. Large, plush couches sat in the middle of the room, a table separating them. A few chairs sat in the corner, a small end table adjoining them. Upon first glance, one would consider it to be the largest library in the world, but of course, past adventures around the world proved that notion to be false. Nevertheless, Katara loved the library; as a place to read and a place to unwind when she had time to herself. Unlike many of the other rooms in the palace, the library had few lighting fixtures on the walls, save for a few by the doors. It relied mostly on natural light to fill the room and that suited Katara just fine. She preferred the natural light compared to the darkened, artificial "lamps" that crowded the walls in almost every chamber and was pleased that this particular room had very large windows opening to the gardens, allowing the morning's light to shine through.

The library also held many memories.

She could distinctly remember herself walking towards the windows, admiring the garden's newly bloomed flowers. She remembered how the sky looked, a perfect blue with only a few clouds not too far off in the distance; the way the morning light cast through the glass, caressing her face with soothing warmth. She remembered the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, holding her body to his chest. She remembered the feeling of his heartbeat against her back; the sweet nothings he whispered, their meaning only intensified as he kissed her hair. She remembered his lips pressing against her cheek, his whispered words against her skin as he held her; the way they so easily rolled off his tongue gave a vicious, but rather sensual tug at her heartstrings: _Marry me, Katara_. She could remember all-to-well his face and all the emotions she saw running amuck there—the love he held for her, the nervousness for her answer, the fear of rejection—as she turned to give her quiet reply. _Yes_.

Katara could remember sitting on the couch, awaiting his return from a morning meeting. She could still feel the fear that had risen in her stomach. She could remember thinking to herself, _What will he say? What will he do? I can't do this…_ She could remember her heart skipping a beat as he entered and sat across from her. Katara remembered the look of confusion on his face as if it was a mural in the back of her brain, his uttering of the usual question—the one he couldn't help but ask, no matter how stupid it made him sound: _Are you okay?_ She recalled the deep breath she had taken, the shuddering of her shoulders as her nerves took over before she finally let the words pass her lips. _I'm pregnant. _Katara sighed at the memory of his smile—the smile of pure elation and joy that he reserved solely for her appreciation. She remembered his tight embrace and the loving words that seemed to flow freely from his lips and into her ear, the feeling of honest love and contentment, happiness…

Katara could hear voices from outside the library door and she knew immediately that they were there. Even muffled by the heavy wooden door, she could pin-point her brother's voice, now rambling on about the amazing breakfast spread that he and Suki had shared that morning. _Oh, Sokka…_

Katara giggled to herself as she moved toward the door, just in time for it to open, revealing the Avatar's smiling face, joined quickly by the rest of her small family.

"Hey guys!" she said excitedly.

"Hey, Katara," Aang said, giving a small wave.

"Suki, sit down will you? I feel like you're about to pop at any moment!" Sokka said, walking Suki over to the couch, assisting her with sitting on the plush cushions. The couch seemed to sink a little with the extra weight, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I can assure you, Sokka, I won't _pop_, as you say. I still got a few more months to go. Calm down," Suki laughed.

Katara laughed at Suki's face, taking a seat next to her. Toph, Sokka, and Aang took a seat on the couch across from them. "Well, I know where he's coming from. I speak from experience, when it gets closer to the end, you _do _just feel like you're going to pop."

"Yeah, well, you may be right," Suki said, rubbing her belly. "But as of right now, I feel as big as Appa."

Suddenly Aang straightened up. "Oh, I almost forgot! I wanted to bring Appa around so you could see him! I can't believe I forgot! Momo's outside with him, too."

"It's okay, Aang," Katara said, smiling. "Actually, I was going to ask you guys if you wanted to go down into the city, maybe walk around the shops in the marketplace a bit?"

Sokka cocked his head to the side. "Are you allowed to do that?"

Katara's eyebrows furrowed. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you know, being Fire Lady and all…" Sokka said, waving his hands in the air to make a show of it. "Don't the servants do all of your shopping for you?"

Katara couldn't help but laugh. "No, Sokka. Other than my formal attire which _has_ to be handmade, I shop for myself. And my being Fire Lady doesn't mean anything—I go all of the time! Of course, Zuko usually goes with me, but there shouldn't be any problem with you guys."

"How's Zuko's meeting going, do you know?" Toph piped in.

Katara shrugged, knitting her fingers together in her lap. "I don't know. He left before I was even up, so I didn't even see him this morning. They haven't had a recess since the meeting started and that was hours ago."

Suki's eyes widened. "You don't think anything's wrong, do you?"

"No, no, no. Of course not," Katara said quickly, shaking her head. "But from what the servants have been saying it isn't going too well in there."

"Are you sure you want to leave, Katara? What if they finally take a break?" Suki asked, unsure.

Katara thought for a minute before shaking her head. "No, it's fine. I want to hang out with you guys."

"Are you positive?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, totally. Let's go," she answered, smiling.

This seemed to take Sokka by surprise. "Oh, okay, then. Let's go."

"Great! Well, I should go get Appa ready," Aang said, jumping up from the couch. "Hey, Sokka, can you help me with his saddle?"

"Sure, buddy," Sokka said, stretching his back as he stood up. He went around the table to peck Suki on her lips. "Meet you guys outside."

* * *

"Please, Your Majesty, when I say that I think the inner walls—save for the palace gates, as you need them for protection purposes—should be done away with, I mean it in the _best_ possible way," Zuko stressed his words, trying to will Burei into agreement. "You must understand that."

"Oh, I understand perfectly, Fire Lord Zuko. But what exactly does your country plan on doing with the Earth Kingdom stronghold that no longer can protect its citizens? Long ago, when the city was first created, my forefathers built those walls to maintain order within the city. And that is specifically why I plan on keeping them: to keep my people safe. Especially from the likes of _you_."

"Would it please you to know that I was not the one drawing up this design, but Avatar Aang?" Zuko questioned, struggling to make eye contact with the man, seeing as Burei seemed to be utterly fascinated with the door at that moment.

Finally, after a few beats, he lowered his gaze, their eyes meeting.

The Earth King sighed. "No, Lord Zuko. It does not." He laced his fingers on the table and straightened in his chair, as if he were trying to appear larger than he was. "It does, however, interest me that it was _not_ you who came up with this brilliant plan to do away with Ba Sing Se's inner walls. Please, enlighten me." He gave a quick wave of his hand as if to give Zuko permission to speak, a maneuver that quickly had him tasting blood again.

"Well, as you had said before: Yes, my uncle and I _did_ live in Ba Sing Se for quite some time. From what we had experienced living within the different districts of the city, I had come to the conclusion that Ba Sing Se's citizens were happy. They had no problem with being separated from each other. Each and every person living within the walls lived their lives in certain ways, and if they succeeded in their trade, they made their way higher up the totem pole. And no one seemed to have a problem with that. _I _did not have a problem with that.

"My uncle and I went to Ba Sing Se to begin a new life, away from all of the hatred and destruction that my nation had previously brought upon the world. Living in your city had really opened my eyes to something that I had failed to see through the cloudy despair that had once wracked and tormented my brain. Seeing all of those people happy and prosperous gave me hope for a better life. The classes did not fight, and the city was very peaceful—"

The Earth King brought his hand up, stopping Zuko's words. "If I may, let me just stop you right there, Fire Lord. Trust me when I say, Fire Lord, that I am just _elated_ to know how _fantastic_ and _enlightening _your life was when you snuck into my city. Tell me, why is it that you feel this way, but you are now presenting something that _clearly_ does not fit your sociological views when it comes to Ba Sing Se?" Burei blinked a couple times, bringing his laced hands up to his face, his elbows on the table. He gave a sarcastic smile, tracing his bottom lip with his index finger.

Zuko cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice sounded unsure. "When I spoke to Avatar Aang about the plans, the only things I had drawn out were for the reconstruction of the outer wall, which I understand is the purpose of this meeting, am I correct?" Zuko offered.

King Burei chuckled. "Yes."

"The only things I had drawn up were for the reconstruction of the outer wall—"

"You've already said that," Burei stated, acid in his voice, accompanying the annoyance that could be heard there. Zuko stared at him, dumbstruck, but kept going after a few moments.

"And when I showed Avatar Aang the plans, he suggested the redesign of the city, itself," Zuko finished hurriedly.

"And why would Avatar Aang do something like that?"

"Avatar Aang, as you know, was raised as a true Air Nomad. He believes that people should not be cut off from each other, especially when it comes to living environments. The monks taught him that people need to be free-spirited and to have a free spirit, one must be able to _live_ freely, as well. He believes the only way to achieve this is to rearrange Ba Sing Se so that the people that live within its outer wall can mingle and interact with each other," the Fire Lord explained.

"And you do not agree with the Avatar's philosophy, Fire Lord Zuko?" the older man said, quirking a bushy eyebrow.

"No, sir, I do not."

"And why is that?"

Zuko swallowed. "Because, from my experience, people need—no, _want_—order in their lives. We, as humans, are people who want to be controlled, to be set in a maze, and told which direction to go. There are those who strive to obtain control, to make the big decisions for those who feel under confident to do so, themselves—the ones telling you whether to go left or right down the path.

"And then, there are those who wish to be controlled, to have someone direct them—the ones listening and looking for a sign from a greater power, a power higher than their own, to tell them to turn when they need to turn, at exactly the right point. They yearn for some kind of guidance that not only can the Spirits give them, but living beings can give them.

"In my perspective, Your Highness, Life is a maze. It twists and turns, gnarled and warped by the decisions we make. We can only hope that we discover the right path and follow it to the end. However, some need guidance. They make a wrong decision and they pray for guidance, so that they can find their way back to the right path. I speak of this from experience. I was one of those people, marred by the imperfections that my nation—my father—raised me with, the expectations that were thrust upon my shoulders. But I am here now, sir, as your equal, asking for your agreement to help your people find their way through the maze. And the only way I believe that's possible, is to allow the people to work their way up, live their lives, one step at a time."

"Very well spoken, Nephew," Iroh said, smiling.

"Yes, very well spoken, Fire Lord Zuko. But there's one thing that still confuses me…" the Earth King said.

Zuko straightened in his chair. "What's that, Your Highness?"

"What do you think would happen to Ba Sing Se if I were to take away the design of the inner walls? Are you saying that my people would not be happy? There would not be peace in the city?"

"No, there would not," Zuko answered confidently.

"And what would there be, Fire Lord?" Burei asked, narrowing his eyes.

Zuko's answer was simple, but its meaning and purpose more surprising than any other words spoken. "Chaos."

King Burei laughed. "_Chaos?_" He laughed again. "How could you possibly expect chaos?"

"If you expose that many people to each of the different elements that appear in each of your city's districts, the order of Ba Sing Se would collapse."

"How do you suppose this, Fire Lord Zuko?" the Earth King said, still chuckling.

Iroh seemed unsure, too. He turned to his nephew with uncertain eyes. "Zuko?"

"There would be a chaotic upheaval. The people would demand segregation, refusing to communicate with others from different social classes. The city's wealthy will not want to even breathe the same air as those who have just come off the ferry—the struggling merchants and the poor! It would throw the balance of your entire city into complete and utter disarray!"

King Burei was unconvinced. "You seem awfully sure of this, young Fire Lord. And what, pray tell, do you suppose will happen?"

"The people will riot," Zuko said plainly, his voice mechanical, devoid of all emotion. _Why does he refuse to listen to me!_

"_Riots?_" the Earth King scoffed. He turned to the man on his left and laughed. "This boy thinks that _my_ people will riot because I am giving them freedom! Ha!" he said, pointing a mocking finger at the Fire Lord.

"Please believe me when I tell you this, King Burei," Zuko pleaded, anger rising deep within him again. "The people of Ba Sing Se, if not the whole Earth Kingdom for that matter, will blame you if anything goes wrong. And they will stop at nothing to destroy you because of your bad decisions."

"And how do you know this, Fire Lord Zuko? How can you be so sure of it?" the old man asked, the intention of his words unmistakably clear. "Have you experienced something like this before, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the man, already knowing what the king wanted him to admit. "You know I have."

"Well, maybe the others haven't been so blessed as to hear the stories. Please, _Lord Zuko_, enlighten us with the lovely tale," the Earth King sneered, laughter still in his voice.

"I'd rather not." By this time, Zuko's temper was once again flaring in his stomach and he was struggling to contain it. This man had the nerve to come there, make judgments where they were not needed, and now he had the audacity to bring up something that he knew absolutely nothing about, and had no experience with. He did not understand those dark times of the past few years, nor did he know the full extent of the issues. But, still, here he sat, pressing him to admit to it.

"Come on, Fire Lord Zuko. Tell us," he said, sitting back in his chair, laughing all the while. "Tell us how you know so much of these _riots_ and _upheavals_. Tell us."

"No," Zuko spat between his teeth.

"Tell us!" The Earth King pressed.

"No."

"Tell us!"

Zuko slammed his fists against the table, smoke billowing from his nostrils. "Yes! I've experienced it! Okay? They came after me in my sleep, broke into my home! Fires started all over the city, cults formed with the intention of killing me! They wanted my head on a spike, perhaps served on a silver platter! They wanted to parade my body around the nation's capital! They wanted the royal bloodline to end! There, you happy now?"

Burei smiled. "And did you put a stop to these riots?"

Zuko huffed. "Yes."

Again, Burei smiled, but it appeared to be more sarcastic, villainous. "Because you are _such_ a good ruler, aren't you, young man?" he said, shaking his head.

The room echoed with the sound of a chair being scraped across the floor, thrown backward with his movements. Zuko now stood on his feet, glaring at the old man, who, even after the Fire Lord's sudden movements, remained perfectly reserved.

"I guess not," the old man chuckled. "There, that wasn't so hard to admit, was it? You're weak."

Unable to say anything else, Zuko turned, ripping the doors open and walking out, but not without a harsh slamming of the large doors behind him. The servants in the corner winced at the sound and cowered further back into the room. Jeong Jeong and Iroh just stared at each other, stunned. Burei sniffed, the sound snapping them back into reality. Their gazes now fell on the Earth King, who, now simply smiled, his words sounding more menacing than ever.

"I thought so."

* * *

"Ma'am, are you sure about this little outing?" one of the guards asked, eyeing the large bison. Katara gave him a questioning look. "W—What I mean to say is, will the Fire Lord be okay with you leaving the palace on a whim like this, without informing him?" The guard started twiddling his fingers, his eyes looking everywhere but at the Fire Lady. "Wouldn't it be better to wait for His Lordship?"

"Of course Zuko will be okay with it. You forget that these are our friends, Lieutenant Supai. I don't see why there is such a problem with our outing…" Katara replied.

"But… The _creature_, ma'am," he said, gesturing to Appa.

"Appa is fine. He won't hurt me, nor will anyone else."

"Of course, my lady," he answered, bowing low. "Would you like some company to the marketplace? Perhaps myself? Just for precaution?"

Katara didn't hesitate when she replied, "If you feel the need. But may I suggest meeting us _at_ the marketplace? Judging by the look on your face, you do not seem so sure about our flying bison, here…" Katara said, chuckling.

Lieutenant Supai was one of the very young guards at the palace, maybe around Aang's age, if not a little younger. He was a little scrawny for a soldier, to point out the obvious. He was pale, like most Fire Nation men, with dark hair and gold-tinted eyes. He was very quiet and reserved, barely speaking out against anything. And being a nonbender, he didn't have the hotheaded temper that most firebending guards had. Other than keeping to his patrol routes, he didn't really even _do_ much around the palace. Katara didn't think about it much, as he was speaking out now. He was just doing his job.

Katara smiled at his hesitance as he stole another glance at Appa, stifling a laugh when he shook his head quickly.

"We're just going to fly to the marketplace. We'll meet you at the entrance."

Lieutenant Supai bowed. "Yes, my lady."

"_Katara, come on!_" Sokka shouted from Appa's saddle.

Katara shook her head at her brother. "I'm coming! Hold your ostrich-horses, Sokka!" In a childish move, he stuck his tongue out at her. Suki laughed.

"Who was that?" Toph asked as Katara took her seat on the bison's saddle.

"That was Lieutenant Supai. He's another one of Zuko's men. He usually does training and business with General Sagi, but for today, he's going to act as our guard at the marketplace."

"_Guard?_ I thought you said this was okay?" Sokka exclaimed.

"Nothing is going to happen in the marketplace, Sokka. I told you that I was going to have to have a guard come with me, seeing as Zuko isn't here. It's fine. He's going to meet us there."

"Wait. This isn't going to be like some creepy guy following us around all day, is it? Watching our every move…?" Sokka said, flailing his arms in an erratic manner.

Katara sighed, exasperated. "No, Sokka. It's fine. He's just there to know where I am, and if I'm okay." She gestured to the Avatar, who was now taking his place upon Appa's head. "Aang, let's go."

Aang flicked the reins. "Appa, yip yip!" And they were off.

Zuko slammed the doors behind him, stepping out into the hallway, making the guards and passing servants flinch. He gave out a loud _huff_ and began to pace in the middle of the hallway. The guards glanced at each other briefly before turning toward their frustrated leader.

"Sir?" one of them asked, concerned.

"I'm _fine_," Zuko snapped.

"Of course, sir."

Zuko continued his pacing, the anger churning in his stomach, burning his insides like fire. He tried to swallow, the lump in his throat unmoving, stuck due to the lack of saliva in his mouth. The metallic aftertaste from his bitten tongue lingered, his dry mouth only making it worse. He was in desperate need of a drink.

_He can't possibly know what I've been through. He doesn't know me. Why is he even here if he's going to torment me like this? He has no place to speak of my life like that! I should just go back in there and—_

"Uh… Sir?" one of the guards said, catching Zuko's attention, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"_What?_"

"Your hair, sir…" he answered, gesturing to Zuko's head.

At the guards words, Zuko looked up to the smell of burnt hair. While his thoughts plagued him, his hands (which were now unbearably hot) had found their way into his hair, singeing the ends of it. Noticing this, Zuko quickly removed his fingers, deciding to direct his anger at the nearby column instead. He threw a harsh punch at the wood with a loud roar, fire bursting from his fist, blackening the intricate paint job.

"_Zuko!_" Iroh exclaimed, shocked by his nephew's actions.

"Uncle? What are you doing out here?" Zuko said, standing straight.

"I should be asking you that. Why are you out _here_ and not in _there_ where you should be, Nephew?" Iroh said, taking a couple steps toward the disgruntled Fire Lord.

"You know exactly why, Uncle! Burei has no place to be—"

Iroh took his nephew by the shoulders. "I know what he said, Zuko. And it was wrong for the Earth King to bring up such dark memories for you. But you must realize that being out in the hallway, taking out your anger on the palace, you should be in there, doing what you are supposed to be doing."

Zuko sighed. "But, Uncle, I—"

"I know how you are feeling, Zuko. Your thoughts are scrambled and you don't know what to do or say. All you know is what has to be done. What the Earth King has said to you—said to _all_ of us—today is his way of showing that he is in power. He believes that he must belittle others in order to make sure that his point is well made. And it was. We know his concerns and his weaknesses now. It is now the time to take action and get him to come to an agreement. That is what you want, isn't it?"

"Yes," Zuko replied, giving out another low sigh.

"If you want something to happen, sometimes you must take things into your own hands, my nephew. Take charge and make the decision that will better the welfare of others."

Zuko gave a weak smile. "That's what you said last night." He chuckled.

Iroh returned the smile. "And for good reason, Zuko. Sometimes, in order to achieve something in one's life, they must take charge and make the decisions themselves." He clapped Zuko on the back. "Now, let's go back in there, and finish this."

Zuko bowed his head. "Yes, Uncle."

* * *

"Katara, I don't know how I feel about his guy. He seems pretty shady to me," Sokka said, eyeing Lieutenant Supai. "I mean, he's acting like we're hiding something."

Katara turned to look at the man who was following them. Supai had given the group some space to comingle and do their own thing, but on occasion, he would press a little too close to them, as if he were looking for someone that would suddenly appear.

Katara just shook it off. Suki shrugged her shoulders. "No, he's not Sokka," she said, disregarding the pouty face her husband gave her.

"But he's _following_ us!"

Katara turned on her brother. "Sokka! Lieutenant Supai is just doing his job! He's _following_ us to make sure I don't get hurt, or that nothing happens to me! He's. Just. Doing. His. Job," she said, emphasizing each word.

"_Whatever!_ Hey, Aang, let's go back into that blacksmith's shop. He had some blades I'd like to check out."

Aang smiled. "Okay! Hey, Katara, do you mind?"

Katara laughed at the Avatar's enthusiasm. "Sure, Aang. Suki and I were just thinking about going back to that jewelry store, anyway. Have fun." She looked at the earthbender.

Aang looked at the earthbender. "Toph?"

Toph laughed. "As much as I would _love_ to go with you, Twinkletoes, I'm going to have to pass. You two have fun playing with swords."

"It's not _playing_!" Sokka scoffed. Toph just laughed.

"Hey, it doesn't matter. You guys go. We'll meet you back by Appa," Suki said, giving Sokka a quick kiss.

He pouted. "Fine. Come on, Aang. Let's go," he said, walking off towards the blacksmith's. Aang followed behind.

Katara gestured back towards the jewelry. "Come on, guys."

"You know, what good is jewelry for someone who is blind?" Toph asked sarcastically.

Suki laughed. "No idea."

As they walked into the shop, the owner (a plump old woman, with a smile that could crack her face in two) began bustling about, trying to get everything in top shape for the lady's arrival.

"Fire Lady Katara! To what do I owe this pleasure of you stopping by my fine shop? And where is our Fire Lord? He usually accompanies you on your little outings, does he not?"

Katara laughed at the woman. "My husband is in a very important meeting now, so he couldn't come today. I'm just having a day to myself with my friends," she said, gesturing to Suki and Toph.

The old woman glanced behind Katara, where Supai stood, looking completely awkward in his guard's armor in the back of the shop. "Oh, but not without _someone_ from the palace, I see," she laughed.

Katara smiled. "Yeah, just for precautions sake. You know…" She shrugged.

"Oh, yes, of course. Is there anything you are looking for, in particular, my lady?" the shopkeeper said, glancing around the small shop.

"No, thank you. We're just going to look around."

"Of course, Lady Katara. As always, if you need anything, you need only ask," the woman said.

"I will."

The woman bowed. "My lady," she said gently. With that, she smiled, and turned to go back to the counter.

Suki laughed, holding her pregnant belly. "Wow. People really _do_ treat you nice around here."

Toph laughed. "Duh, that's how you're supposed to treat royalty."

Katara shrugged. "Yeah, you get used to it. Let's go look over here," she said, making her way over to the shop's assortment of necklaces and chokers.

"Well, I'm just going to stay here by the counter, you two have fun looking at your fancy, girly stuff," Toph said, leaning back on the stone wall, crossing one leg over the other as if she owned the place.

Suki shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said, following Katara.

The shop didn't have a very large assortment to choose from, being the small, family-owned shop that it was. But there was just something about it that always drew Katara in. The friendliness of its staff and the quaintness of the room just screamed _home_ to her, and she just couldn't resist coming back constantly. Like the shopkeeper had said, Zuko usually came with her when she decided to visit the little shop. While she glanced around, _oo_-ing and _aw_-ing at random things around the shop, he would usually head to the back and converse with the owner's husband. Like the old woman, her husband was very kind. He was a little on the short side, a very round man, but he never failed at striking up a good conversation. And with Zuko, that really said something. The man never failed to bring a smile to Zuko's face, one of those rare ones that really only Katara had ever seen. It brought her great joy to know that coming to this little place (such a small, trivial thing, when one thought about it) could bring him away from all of the stresses of running the country, and actually make him _smile_ for once. The thought of him brought back the worry that something went wrong in the meeting and Katara had to take a deep breath to steady herself. When she let it out, it came out as more of a shudder.

"Everything alright?" Suki asked, stopping her perusal of the nearby headpieces. At her question, Supai became alert, stepping forward so that the women were not only within sight, but clear earshot, as well.

"What? Oh, yeah, everything's fine," Katara answered. "Just thinking."

"Okay," Suki answered, smiling.

"You know, Suki, I can't thank you enough for coming last night. It really was great for you and Sokka to come all of this way just for a silly celebration like that…"

"You know, Katara, it's no trouble. Granted, with a few more weeks, I won't be able to travel anywhere else, given the baby. Sokka was on edge enough coming here this time, but I persisted," she chuckled. "I love him and all, but your brother can be a real pain in the backside. I mean, I'm pregnant, not glass. I won't shatter."

Katara laughed at that. "Yeah, well, still. Thanks for coming. I haven't seen you in so long. Letters just aren't the same, you know?"

"Yeah," Suki smirked. "But you and Zuko were pretty quick on ditching your own party last night… Where did you guys sneak off to, huh?" she said, giving her sister-in-law a knowing smile. Lieutenant Supai drew closer, trying to get a better listen at what they were talking about.

Katara stopped fiddling with one of the beaded necklaces and turned to her. "Oh, Suki! It was amazing. And guess what? I have great news!"

"Do tell," Suki chuckled, acting like a teenager sharing gossip at school.

"We're trying again." At that sentence, Supai backed off all together, stepping back towards the entrance of the shop. Toph took notice of this, but didn't say anything.

Suki squealed, clapping her hands together. "Oh, my goodness! Katara, that's great news! What changed his mind?"

"He said Iroh talked to him," Katara said.

"Iroh?"

"Yeah, I guess he had a real talk with him. Whatever Uncle said to him must have helped him make the decision. I don't know what Zuko would do without him…"

"But still, that's amazing news! You're trying to have a baby!" Suki clapped again.

"Uh, guys? Would it interest you enough to know that that guard guy that's been following us all day just left?" Toph asked, stepping up to them.

"He left? What do you mean?"

"I mean he just took off out the doors. He seemed to be in a hurry or _something_," Toph said, crossing her arms.

"Why would Supai leave? There's no military business going on today…" Katara said, furrowing her brow. "That's really strange."

"Oh, well, nothing happened anyway, right? Let's just go back and see if we can find the boys. I told them we'd meet them by Appa. Hopefully Sokka didn't have _too_ much fun," Suki laughed.

"Okay."

* * *

"Ah! Here's the Fire Lord, gracing us with his presence once again!" Burei said, leaning back in his chair.

Iroh took to his seat while Zuko remained standing. The Fire Lord lifted his hand as if to silence any other comment that the Earth King might have.

"Please, Your Majesty, I have something to say?" Zuko said, eyeing the man carefully.

The Earth King gave a slow nod and Zuko took a seat.

"I know that I have come from a family that you do not particularly like. The actions that my father, my father's father, and my great-grandfather took are unforgivable. But believe me when I say this, Your Highness: I am not them. Yes, when I was a boy, I was taught that the Fire Nation should be the world's leader; that everyone would prosper from our leadership. But through my time in exile, I have learned the complete opposite. I have lived amongst your people, have suffered what they have suffered, lost what they've lost. My time spent in the Earth Kingdom as a refugee will forever change my outlook on my decisions. It changed the way I think, the way I feel. Being one of those people who look up to those in charge, hoping they make the right decision will forever stay in my heart. I can tell you this, sir: it is not a pleasant feeling—knowing that you may not wake up safe and sound tomorrow, not knowing if your life is going to continue the way it's going, if not at all. Call it a consequence of war.

"But those times of war are over now. They have been over for a while now. I told you before that Life is a maze and that the people look for guardian to help them through. That being said, however long ago, the world is still suffering from the war's end. People have fallen off the right path, and now they are lost, confused with what Life has thrown at them. And it is now up to us, Your Highness. We are the ones they are looking up to now. We are the ones that are supposed to guide them back. And for us to do our jobs correctly, sir, we must put our differences aside, and think of the only thing that matters in the end—the people. We need to think about the citizens of Ba Sing Se; the citizens of the world."

The room fell silent once again. Zuko could not only feel, but _hear_ his own heart beat in his chest, its rhythm now growing faster due to his nerves. He swallowed, making eye contact with the king. After another beat, something happened that startled everyone in the room, a loud noise echoing off the walls, ringing in Zuko's ears.

The Earth King was clapping.

After a few moments, the Earth King finally spoke. "My sincere apologies, Fire Lord Zuko. I seem to have let my past memories get the better of me. I had no intention to criticize your judgment and decisions. This is your home and I have no place to say such things. I'm sorry," he said, visibly nervous. He bowed his head. "I now understand where you come from. Though I am still on edge about your decisions regarding the Harmony Restoration Movement from years passed—as I never believe I will think differently, regarding the subject—I can see a very powerful, driven ruler in you, Fire Lord. You are a smart man, Fire Lord Zuko, willing to do anything to get your point across, with only your people's interests at heart. You are strong-willed and are very capable to lead your country with a strong heart and mind, something that not even the brawniest man could ever do or achieve in his lifetime. I admire that." For the first time all day, the Earth King gave a genuine, heart-felt smile.

Zuko sat there in shock, at a loss for words. There was no way to explain the thoughts going through his head. The strange turn of events in this meeting overwhelmed him—the sudden changes in the Earth King's demeanor stunned him. He had no other choice but to accept his apology and to offer forgiveness, to thank him. But even still, no words left his mouth.

Iroh took notice of his hesitance and clapped him on the back, getting his attention. Zuko jumped at the sudden contact and cleared his throat. "It's quite alright, Your Majesty. I understand the many levels of sadness that you and your people are feeling—especially in Ba Sing Se. I understand that it still puts you in a strange position, my leaving the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom as well as the newfound status of the Harmony Restoration Movement as of four years ago. And I deeply apologize for my hesitance regarding the reconstruction of the Earth Kingdom's capital. I have been trying my best to see to it that my name is not put to shame like my predecessors.

"As I said before, I am willing to do everything in my power to make the Fire Nation's relationship with the Earth Kingdom sound and peaceful. If that takes my personal involvement in the matter, so be it. I just want to see each of the nations at peace with each other, and for all of this destruction and hate to be behind us." He made a move to stand and walked around the table towards the Earth King, ignoring the stares of Jeong Jeong, Iroh, and the other advisors. As he approached the Earth King, he met his eyes. "If you are willing to see this through…" He offered his hand.

The Earth King stared back at Zuko, analyzing the determination he saw there. Another few short moments passed before the Earth King stood slowly, eyeing Zuko with a smile ghosting across his face, and shook his hand.

* * *

Lieutenant Supai was running, running faster than he ever thought possible, faster than he ever had in his life. Sweat dripped off his brow and he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. _Just a little farther…_

Just before he was completely run out, he reached his destination—a small shack just past the outer limits of the capital city. It was a little run down place, the sort of place one would only live in when there were no other places available. The paneling was coming undone, the rotten wood falling to bits, and Supai only hoped that the building did not crumble on top of him as he opened the door. It was dark inside the main room, no sound but the floor creaking underneath his feet. There was nothing in the room, save for a few chairs knocked over. Cobwebs adorned the walls and the air was filled with dust.

Supai coughed, reaching his destination of the far bedroom in the back of the small building. There was a single candle flickering in the corner, its light not doing very much for the dark room, the flame only illuminating the man's face as he sat on the rickety old bed in the corner, the shadows casted across his features. As soon as the man was in view, Supai stopped, giving a salute.

"Sir," he acknowledged, his military-trained voice making an appearance.

"Well?" the man asked from his perch on the bed, his voice rasping due to the inhalation of dust.

"He was not with them, sir." Supai said, his voice shaking.

"Of course he wasn't with them, you idiot!" the man growled, his face turning menacing in the shadows. "I _told_ you he wasn't going to be there! Do you ever listen, Lieutenant? Or am I going to have to find a replacement for your sorry little position?"

"N—No, sir. I simply forgot," Supai stuttered. "I did what you asked. I followed them all day, like you asked, sir. I listened to every word the lady had to say…"

"_And?_" the man stressed.

Supai swallowed audibly. "Yes, sir. The Fire Lord and Fire Lady are trying for another child." He looked at the ground between his feet, afraid to meet the man's eyes.

The man sighed, rising from the bed. "This is bad news, indeed."

"How sir?"

"Do you listen to _anything_, Lieutenant?"

"Why, yes, of course. I—"

"If the Fire Lady becomes pregnant, all of our hard work will be ruined! Our efforts will be for nothing!" the man shouted.

"So what should we do, sir?" Supai asked.

"Don't you understand what this means? If Zuko's line continues, there is no way we will be able to rise up. Fire Lord Zuko's bloodline must be ended."

"What are you saying, sir? We kill him?"

"We do what we must. Zuko's life must end in order for His Majesty to rise to the throne," the man said.

"But… What about Lady Katara?" Supai asked.

"Fire Lady Katara cannot conceive a child. It would ruin everything…" The man started pacing, his walking space minimal due to the confines of the small bedroom.

"You said that already, sir…" Supai said, letting out a little cough.

The man stopped, bending so he was eye-level with Supai. "I _know_ what I said, Lieutenant!" The man resumed his pacing. "We need to take action. Something must be done before it's too late."

Supai cocked his head to the side, struggling to read the man's emotions in the dim light. "Sir?"

"We do everything we can until something can really be done."

"_Something_, sir?"

"We need to come up with a plan…" The man stopped his pacing, and brought his hand up to his chin, stroking it. "It think it's time I had a meeting with the Phoenix King."

* * *

** So, here are the meanings of our new character's names. See what you think...**

* * *

**- Burei: _rude_ in Japanese. I think it fits our new Earth King's personality.  
- Sagi: _con_ in Japanese. I wonder where this will come in... *evil laugh*  
- Supai: _spy_ in Japanese. Self explanatory.  
As for Rina, that's just a name that I came up with. There's really no significant meaning there...**

* * *

**As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 7: Occasions

**Summary: They have had their good times and their bad. The war has ended, and new relationships are thriving. Katara and Zuko are living happily as a married couple. That happiness can only last for so long. Arguments ensue and stress sets in, but love prevails over everything. This is their story…**

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own any characters, themes, or quotes. Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon Studios and its ingenious creators. This story is written only for private entertainment purposes and no copywrite infringement is intended. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Occasions**

* * *

"Wait—_What?_"

"We all went down to the marketplace—"

"Yeah, I got _that_ part. What do you mean, Supai _left?_" Zuko cut her off.

"I don't know, Zuko. He just left," Katara said, uncertain of how to explain.

Zuko huffed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, his hands in his hair. "Can you just tell me what happened?"

Katara sighed. "Well, there really isn't anything to tell, Zuko. Supai met us at the marketplace, like I told him to. Aang, Sokka and Suki, Toph, and I all rode there on Appa. Sokka and Aang had gone off to the blacksmith's to look at swords and such while Suki, Toph, and I all went back to that small jewelry store. Supai followed us…"

Zuko nodded, obviously annoyed. "Uh, huh. And when did you notice that Lieutenant Supai was gone?"

"Well, _I_ didn't notice it; _Toph_ did. Suki and I were just browsing, talking about random things, when Toph came up and told us that he left. I don't know…" Katara said, shaking her head back and forth.

"Did he _say_ anything?" Zuko said, annoyance still in his voice.

Katara shook her head slowly. "No."

Zuko took a deep breath and stood, pacing the large room. "Why would he just leave?" he whispered, more to himself than anything else.

It was Katara's turn to sit on the bed. She twiddled her thumbs as she watched Zuko pace the floor in front of her. Out of habit, she kept listening to what he was saying, despite the fact that there was no real answer to any of his questions. Regardless, she watched him, listening to his apparent frustration.

"Why would he leave? Where would he go?" Zuko whispered, threading his hands into his hair again. "Would he go the barracks? No, guard detail was set to the council rooms because of King Burei's arrival…"

Katara cleared her throat. "Uh, Zuko?"

He didn't seem to hear her. "Then where would he go?"

"Zuko?" Katara tried again. No answer.

"I can't imagine what he could have…"

"Zuko!"

He wheeled around, facing her. "_What?_" he snapped. He noticed the hurt look on Katara's face and his demeanor quickly changed. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, sighing. "Sorry. What did you want to say?"

"Why are you so heated about this?" She patted the bed next to her and he sat. "I feel kind of bad now. Should I not have told you?"

_Why am I mad? Well, maybe it's because I have to go away soon, and I need to make sure the guards are doing what they are trained to do!_ he so desperately wanted to say, but he held his tongue. Zuko should his head quickly. "No! No, I'm glad you told me. It's just… _Ugh!_" he said, his fingers rubbing at his eyes.

"Why are you so annoyed?" Katara asked, her hand coming up to his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"It's just… I have guards to protect myself—and my loved ones—for a reason. And the idea of my guards not doing what they are trained to do just baffles me. I was so unsure of Supai when he was being trained. He's the youngest of all the guards here at the palace, especially in the Royal Division."

"Okay…?" Katara said, utterly confused.

"Not many guards are promoted into the Royal Division, and the ones that _are_ usually are fairly old and experienced. When they assigned Supai—a mere Lieutenant—to protect the Fire Lord and Lady, I just felt uneasy. And this isn't making it any better…

"I don't mind you going out, you know that. But, when you do, I expect the guards to be able to protect you; and anyone you are with, if necessary. They can't do their jobs when they aren't around. You understand?"

Katara nodded. "Yeah, but there's just one thing that I don't understand."

Zuko cleared his throat. "And what's that?"

"What exactly do I need protection from? I'm a master waterbender! Whoever so chooses to mess with me and my friends does so at their own expense."

This made Zuko laugh. "Believe me, I know of your abilities, Katara. And you're right. Whoever messes with you doesn't realize who they are dealing with until it's too late. But that's not the point."

"So, what is, then?"

Zuko sighed. "Honestly? I don't even really know…"

Katara's brow furrowed. "What, you expect another uprising?"

Zuko's hands clawed his knees, his knuckles turning a ghostly white. "I don't know. I just want everyone to be safe. And I just feel a little apprehensive, knowing that Lieutenant Supai lef—"

Katara shook his shoulder, cutting off his sentence. "Zuko, nothing's going to happen. Wasn't it just the other day that we were talking about all of that being behind us?" Zuko shook his head. "Come on. I'm sure that Supai leaving us at the marketplace was nothing. Yes, he is young and (to be completely honest) a little awkward when it comes to his duties, but I'm sure it's nothing. He probably just remembered something at home, or maybe a family thing he forgot about? Are you sure there were no other duties for the guards today?" she asked.

"Positive. They _were_ my orders. I'm sure I would remember what I told the guards," he snapped. "Of course, it all depends on if the guards were _paying attention_ to my orders!"

"Okay, don't turn into such a hot-head. It was just a question. Regardless of why Supai left, he _left_. We can't change what happened today. It just did. We don't have to worry about it anymore."

Zuko let out a sigh. "I guess."

Katara laughed. "Well, we still have our 'relaxation day' to look forward to in a couple days, right?"

Zuko chuckled. "Right." He smiled, giving her hand a squeeze. "But I'm not having _Lieutenant Supai_ on our guard detail for a _long_ time."

Katara laughed.

* * *

A loud, meaningful knock sounded from the office door, bringing Zuko out of concentration. He sighed quietly, placing another scroll neatly on the desk in front of him.

"Come in."

The door knob visibly turned and the door swung open to reveal Sokka in the doorway. "Hey, you got a minute?" he asked.

Zuko straightened his back, sitting up straight, and nodded. "Yeah, sure." He gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. Sokka walked across the room, his stride determined, which only made Zuko feel a little nervous as he watched him approach and take a chair. "What's on your mind?" he asked, unsure.

"Well, I'm not interrupting anything, am I? You busy?" Sokka asked.

"No, not at all. I'm just organizing myself before we leave tonight," he shrugged.

Sokka nodded. "Oh."

"Something wrong?" Zuko asked.

"Nothing, bad. It's just…" Sokka slouched forward in the chair, his elbows resting on his knees. "It's Katara."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "What about Katara?"

Sokka cleared his throat. "Well, a couple days ago, when you were meeting with the Earth King, we all went to the marketplace…"

"I know."

"…and Katara had some guard follow us. But he was just _weird_. He seemed nervous around Aang, and he seemed to be hiding something from Katara, like, something _bad…_"

Zuko sighed. "I know."

Sokka continued. "But, then, when Aang and I came back from the shop we were at, Katara said that the guy just left them there, unprotected!"

"I know, Sokka," Zuko said, his face taking on a hard mask.

Sokka sat up straight. "Wait. You know? How?"

Zuko shrugged a shoulder. "Katara told me when I got back from the meeting."

Sokka laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, well, then. I guess I should have known that she would tell you. She always tells you everything. It's just…"

"Just what, Sokka?" Zuko asked, his tone showing a slight annoyance.

"I just want to know who the guy was! I mean, what kind of guard just wanders off and leaves their leader—or I guess their leader's wife, right?—without protection?"

"My thoughts exactly, Sokka."

"Good to know you feel that way, man. I mean, yeah, Katara's Fire Lady now, but she's still my little sister!"

"I know." Zuko nodded his head slowly.

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Do you know this guy, anyway? Do you, like, _meet_ your guards when they are trained?"

Zuko gave another nod. "Yes, and _yes_. His name is Supai. He's a newly recruited Lieutenant on guard detail. Believe me, I wasn't so sure when they recruited him, because he's so young and inexperienced compared to the others, but…"

"Have you talked to this _Lieutenant Supai_ guy, and asked him why he ditched my sister in the middle of the marketplace?"

Zuko sat back, crossing his arms. "No. Every time I'm free to be able to have a conference with him, no one seems to know where the kid goes." He shook his head. "It's infuriating."

"I know how you feel. I know it's not my place to be asking around, but I have, and I've come up with nothing. I mean, you said he was just a Lieutenant, right? So that means he has a commanding officer; talk to him."

Zuko shrugged. "Yes, he has a commanding officer. General Sagi. He's one of my best men, and a good friend. I had called for an audience with him as soon as Katara told me."

"And what did he say?" Sokka pressed.

Zuko shrugged and shook his head slowly. "He said he hadn't known anything about it and agreed to put Supai on restrictive duty for his behavior—cleaning the barracks, polishing armor, cleaning uniforms, the usual punishment for the men who step out of line. At first, he offered to have him stripped of his reputation and demoted, but I said that seemed to be a little much…"

"Yeah, that's understandable, I guess," Sokka nodded.

"So, it's being handled. I'm sorry I don't really have much more information, Sokka. Clearly you're as frustrated about this; so am I. Honestly, I don't really know what to _do_ about it, that's the thing. I promise you, Sokka, if I get any more information about it, I'll let you know as soon as I can."

Sokka stood to leave and offered Zuko his hand for a shake. He turned, chewing on the inside of his cheek, ready to leave the office when he suddenly turned back to the Fire Lord. "Nothing's going on, is there?"

Zuko looked up. "What?"

Sokka waved his hands as he spoke. "You know, there aren't any riots or anything strange like that going on again, right?"

Zuko stayed silent, shaking his head, eyeing the Water Tribesman warily. Sokka hummed thoughtfully, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Care to elaborate, Sokka?" Zuko asked, threading his fingers on his desk.

"Look, Zuko—we're brothers. We're _family_. I knew that when you married my sister. You're one my best friends, man, and you know that. But, you know how I felt when I first found out about you and Katara and—"

"Sokka?" Zuko cut him off. "What are you trying to say?"

Sokka sucked his teeth. "Look, man, all right? All I'm saying is that nothing bad better happen to my sister. You have to admit, the last time something strange like this happened, nothing good came out of it. People got hurt. _Katara_ got hurt! I don't want that happening again!"

"Sokka—"

"_Let me finish!_ I want you to find out everything you can about where this guy went. I don't care if he _did_ have ulterior motives for leaving Katara (and _my pregnant wife_, lest we forget _that_ fact) or if he simply couldn't hold his bladder back any longer. I want you to find out as soon as possible, because if anything happens, and Katara gets hurt again…"

Zuko sighed. "Sokka, I—"

Sokka held his hand up, silencing him. "We are family, Zuko, and I hate to have to do this, but… If something _is_ going on, or if something bad happens to Katara because of it… I _will_ come back here. And I _will_ hurt you. That's a promise. Understood?"

Zuko swallowed, giving a stiff nod.

Sokka nodded. "Good. And I'm sorry, but I think it's best if I say goodbye here and now. Thanks for the hospitality and everything."

"Of course," Zuko said, standing. He took Sokka's arm in the customary Water Tribe way. He gave an inward sigh when he felt Sokka grasp his arm and give a light squeeze in return.

Sokka looked him straight in the eye. "I was serious. You know that, right?"

Zuko gave a firm nod. "I know you were. And I can promise you, nothing bad will happen to Katara. I'd die before I allowed for anything to happen to her again."

Sokka stepped back, his arm reaching out for the door. "That's good to hear, Zuko. I'll be in touch, as always. Suki's going to be coming up on her due date soon, so…"

"Yeah," Zuko said, suddenly feeling very awkward.

"Well, bye, Zuko. Have a nice vacation," Sokka said, opening the door.

"I will. Thanks, Sokka."

Sokka gave a weak smile before stepping out of the room, closing the door clicking closed behind him.

Zuko sighed, his hands coming up to rub his face.

_Agni, help me…_

* * *

Zuko walked the hallways, his intent on getting back to his and Katara's personal chambers in order to fully prepare for their trip to Ember Island. It had been a quick, last minute decision, but he didn't care. It had been what felt like an eternity since they had been back to the island, and Zuko had thought it would be a nice surprise for the time that he and Katara had planned. It had been a pain in his rear to try to weasel his way into a couple days' peace, earning himself and his wife a small, but very need vacation, but when the council finally caved, he was elated. Zuko was finally getting a break from all of the political nonsense and Fire Lord duties, and he planned to take full advantage of it.

Zuko chuckled to himself as he walked, remembering Katara's face when he told her to gather enough things to last her a couple days. The confusion he saw there was priceless, but he was pleased when she had finally agreed and begun packing, even seeking out Rina for some assistance.

In the end, however, Zuko had an ulterior motive for planning the trip to Ember Island. He figured that the best way to tell Katara that his presence was needed in the Earth Kingdom was when she was relaxed and in a good mood. But, perhaps that was just his stupid, male mind talking. Either way, Zuko figured that the next few days would be good for the both of them.

As he walked, Zuko noticed nothing out of the norm. As he passed, each servant would bow their head in respect, or utter a quiet _Fire Lord Zuko _as if to acknowledge his presence. He answered each with a firm nod of his head, followed by the slightest perk of his lips, just as he did any other day. Everything seemed to be going fine and in the right direction until Zuko spotted Lieutenant Supai rounding the corner, carrying what looked like a stack of parchments. Zuko squared his shoulders and walked purposefully toward him.

"Lieutenant!" he called.

Supai looked up, startled, dropping the papers he had to the floor just as Zuko reached him. "Fire Lord Zuko! Forgive me, sir. I'm so sorry," he said, bowing low before kneeling to gather up the parchments in haste. Zuko frowned at his sudden quickness, but thought nothing of it. As he stacked them neatly back into his arms, standing straight, he slowly caught the Fire Lord's eye. "What can I do for you, sir?"

Zuko kept his voice stern. "I would like to speak with you, if you have a moment."

Supai nodded his head, giving no argument. "Of course, sir. Anything for you, Fire Lord."

Zuko nodded. "Follow me."

Supai nodded and began to follow Zuko as he walked away. Zuko figured it would be best to talk to Lieutenant Supai in his private offices, where people know not to disturb. He didn't usually allow for anyone to enter his private working area, unless they were close friends or family. Either way, Zuko thought that this suited the situation best. _Going to the throne room would probably just scare the poor guy. Oh, well, I guess Katara's going to have to wait a while longer…_ he thought.

As they entered the room, Zuko gestured to one of the chairs. "Sit."

Supai's replied with a shaky voice. "Of course, sir," he said, bowing low before sitting in the offered chair.

Zuko crossed to the other side of the room and leaned on his desk—not yet sitting on it, but pushing the brunt of his weight against the polished wood.

He crossed his arms. "I'm sure you know what I'm about to say…"

Supai swallowed. "Yes, my lord."

Zuko's voice came out very harsh. "I won't tolerate this happening again, Lieutenant." _Wow. You sound like your father,_ his subconscious told him. He shook his head. _No. I'm not like _him_!_

The Fire Lord's sudden silence concerned the young man. "Sir?"

Zuko closed his eyes. _Nothing like him! Nothing!_

"Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko's eyes snapped open, eyeing Lieutenant Supai's concerned face. He cleared his throat. "Yes. As I was saying, I won't have you running off in the middle of—"

"Sir? If I may?" Supai asked, his voice wary.

Zuko gave out a frustrated sigh. "What is it? Speak freely."

Supai took a deep breath. "Fire Lord Zuko, I know it was wrong for me to leave Lady Katara. I promise to never make that mistake again."

"Then, what made you decide to leave my wife and our friends alone in the marketplace, unguarded?"

"Again, I apologize, Fire Lord. I had forgotten that my mother was coming to town and wasn't sure if there was going to be anyone there to meet her at the docks—"

"And you thought that your mother's arrival into the city was more important than your Fire Lady's safety?" Zuko asked, annoyance creeping into his voice. "Are you sure that's what was going on? Or did you just decide you had had enough trouble providing protection to my wife?"

"No!" Supai yelled, his voice echoing off the walls. Zuko raised his eyebrows as if offering up a challenge and Supai was quick to correct himself. "Forgive me, Fire Lord Zuko. I did not mean to get so…so…"

Zuko held up his hand, stopping Supai mid-sentence. "Lieutenant, I don't want this getting out of hand. As you know, when I took over the throne, my goal was to rule without my guards and staff living in fear of me. However, when someone does something wrong, especially at this level, there needs to be an understanding."

Supai nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I had a talk with General Sagi, I'm sure you are aware?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir."

"So, you know what your punishment is for this carelessness and insubordination, correct?"

Supai sighed. "Yes, sir."

Zuko nodded. "I would just like you to know, Lieutenant, that you are getting off easy with this offense. Sagi wanted you to have to completely restart your training at lowest rank."

Supai winced, but gave no argument. "Yes, sir?"

"I say again, you are getting off easy this time. But if something ever happens like this again, Supai. You _will_ be demoted to the lowest level. I will not have my guards be as careless as to leave my wife out on her own in places such as a busy marketplace. We leave in a time of peace now, yes, but that environment is still not a suitable, safe place for the Fire Lady to be by herself without any imperial protection. Am I clear?"

Supai swallowed, bowing his head. "Yes, my lord."

"You are dismissed," Zuko said, his voice low.

"Thank you, sir." Supai stood, gathered his stack of parchments, and started to head toward the door. As his hand reached the handle, Zuko spoke up.

"One more thing before you leave, Lieutenant. What have you got, there?" he asked, gesturing towards the parchment stack In Supai's arms.

The Lieutenant looked down at his arms briefly before returning his gaze to the Fire Lord. "Oh, nothing of importance, sir—training schedules. It's a part of my new, temporary duties. I have to copy and distribute each schedule by hand."

Zuko gave a firm nod. "Very well. Return to your duties, then."

"Of course, Fire Lord."

Supai walked out of the office, giving out a low sigh. He hugged the parchments to his chest and looked out into the hallway, first to the left, then the right, checking to see if the coast was clear. His shoulders slumped in relief as he found the hall empty. Supai then glanced down at the top page of the stack, reading its headlines:

**_. . . ._**

**_.CHANGE IS COMING._**

**_.THE PHOENIX KING WILL RISE AGAIN._**

**_.NEW PARTY MEMBERS NEEDED._**

**_.DOWN WITH FIRE LORD ZUKO._**

**_. . . ._**

Supai looked up from the flyer, an evil smirk finding its way to his lips.

* * *

_Chaos._

_That's what this was. _

_Chaos._

_And terror._

_And panic._

_"Katara!" he coughed out. The smoke was too much for his lungs to handle. Sweat covered his brow from the growing heat behind him. For once in his life, he exhaled slowly, bringing down the growing flames at the window behind him, happy to be a firebender. But he could only hold the inferno back for so long; and he knew that._

I need to find Katara,_ he thought._ I have to know that she's okay.

_The sounds of frightened screams and shattering glass echoed throughout the palace. The rebels could be heard shouting orders to each other, what rooms were cleared and which ones weren't. _Please, Katara be okay…

_Zuko pressed his ear to the double doors of his office, surprised the rebels hadn't thought to check them first. He sighed with relief when he didn't hear any voices or movement outside the ornate wood. He was also pleased to find no intense heat radiating off the doors, a promising indicator that there was no fire in the halls. He took hold of the handle, giving a stiff jerk to swing the door open. As Zuko cautiously stepped out into the hallway, scanning for any of the intruders, he inhaled a deep breath of air, coughing slightly at the contrast to the smoke he had been breathing not just a moment ago._

Katara… _he thought frantically. _Where would she be?

_Zuko began to slink his way along the wall, careful to not to step on any of the rubble littering the floors. The usually glossed floor now only reflected the damage that the rebels had caused. The fire in the walls, shattered glass exploding through the windows, and the splintered wood from toppled pillars all now reflected in its marble face, its sheen acting as a mirror for the terror and destruction these men had brought. He could tell, just by how they were moving and going about their mission that the rebels weren't benders. At least the Spirits were on his side in that aspect._

_Zuko eyed one of the guard supply closets, hoping that it was unlocked. As he bashed in the door, he was relieved to find a waiting sword in the back of the small room. It was no broadsword, like what he was used to training with, but anything would do for protection at this point. He had also taken care to grab one of the guard helmets, donning it quickly, thinking that anything would help to hide his appearance, if not just a little bit. It was a terrible thing, really, considering the circumstances, but Zuko couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the thought of the last time he had donned a guardsman's helmet in an act of disguise._

_Suddenly, there was a man's voice shouting from the end of the hall. His words made Zuko's heart sink and his stomach flip._

_"Men! Head to the library! We have the Fire Lady!" the man shouted, his voice deep and menacing. "The Fire Lord is sure come to us!"_

Katara. No… _Zuko's stomach lurched, and he almost rushed forward and killed the man where he stood. He retrained himself, however, allowing reason to restrain his temper. Backing against the wall, he looked around frantically, trying to find a way to get the men's attention and to lure them away from the library where Katara was—he hoped—still alive._

_As he looked around, though, Zuko found nothing. There were no vases to break, no metal to clash together in order to make noise. There was nothing. How was he going to get the men away from the library? He sighed, realizing that firebending would be his only option and his best bet. _

_Zuko continued to slink down the corridor, his back to the wall, surprised the man outside the door hadn't noticed his advancing form yet. The man began to walk forward, away from the library entrance, down the connecting hallway and out of view completely. Now was his chance. Zuko moved his arms forward, punching out a wall of flame, effectively blocking the entrance into the hallway he currently was crouching in. The flames began to lick their way toward the edge of the library door and as they drew closer, Zuko sighed when he heard the reaction he was hoping for._

_"Men! Abort! There's no way we'll be able to hold this fire back long enough. We have no other choice but to abort!"_

_The rebels started filing out of the library in haste and Zuko crouched even lower to the floor, remaining out of sight. The tallest rebel at the front of the group stopped at the ever-growing flames._

_"It's blocked this way!" He looked toward the connected hall. "This way, men!"_

_As the men began to run off, the youngest looking rebel stopped in his tracks. "Sir! What about the waterbender?" The tall one turned, glancing toward the library door, where the fire was now creeping up the doorframe. Zuko held his breath._

_The man narrowed his eyes, spitting out his words with venom. "Let her burn." With that, the two of them turned and hurried down the hall with the others._

_As soon as he heard the last sound of their retreating footfalls, Zuko didn't hesitate to douse the flames and run frantically into the library, only to find himself frozen solid at what he saw. There, in the middle of the large room, Katara lay on the floor, appearing what it looked like to be gasping for breath._

_"Katara!" Zuko rushed forward, tossing the helmet off his head as he went. He skidded to a halt, kneeling by her side. "Are you okay?"_

_Katara struggled to get her words out. "Zu—Zuko?"_

_"I'm here. It's okay." Zuko nodded frantically, trying to find any injury. "What did they do?"_

_"They took my canteen," Katara coughed, crying out at the action, grasping her ribs. "They were ki—kicking me. They called m—me worthless…"_

_Zuko's face contorted in disgust. "They kicked you? Where," his fingers ghosted over her ribs, "here?"_

_She cried out at the contact. "Yeah." _

_Her hand went to her mouth as she coughed and as it came away, Zuko saw a trace of blood in her palm. Her eyes closed as Zuko hand's came up to cradle her face._

_"Katara?" he asked, desperate to keep her awake. "Katara, open your eyes."_

_No response._

_"Katara, please!"_

_Nothing._

_"Katara!"_

_There was a sudden pain in the back of his head, the faint sound of his skull cracking echoing in his hears. His eyes felt heavy and he fell to the floor beside Katara. He looked at her face, wracked with pain, his vision becoming blurry._

_"Kata—"_

_Zuko couldn't feel his limbs, his heartbeat thumped his ears, and his eyes drooped even further as the seconds passed. The pain in the back of his head was unbearable and he wanted nothing more than to turn and see who had struck him, and what instrument had done the damage._

_He couldn't hold back the pain any longer. His eyes fell shut. His thoughts were static, jumbling together, making no sense; a mesh of confusion, panic, anger, and searing agony. Everything went black, enveloping him in darkness._

_The last thing he heard was the faint sound of a man laughing…_

* * *

Zuko woke with a gasp. His heart hammered against his chest and his skin was covered with sweat. His breathing was heavy as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. He shivered as the cool air hit his heated skin as he sat up, wobbling with the familiar sway of a ship at sail. He sighed when he spotted his wife's form, sleeping soundly beside him, her face peaceful.

Zuko's hands threaded into his hair as he leaned over in bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he tried to gain control of his rapid breathing. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

"Dream. It was just a dream," he tried reasoning with himself. _No it wasn't, that was reality,_ his consciousness sneered back at him. _You failed to protect her_.

With a huff, Zuko threw his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed the robe hanging on the back of the door. He pulled it on, tying it at the waist as he walked on deck. The night was cool, a light breeze blowing the scent of seawater around, filling his senses. Zuko was relieved to find no one out on deck at this time of night, save for the one just on the other side of the large, metal door, whom he had waved off when asked if something was wrong. Regardless, having no one walking about gave Zuko a sense of privacy, which he knew he would not have very long, if he knew his wife _at all._ She always had this way of knowing when he was not in bed, regardless of how deep of a sleep he could leave her in. She always knew.

A sad smile found its way to Zuko's lips as he leaned forward on the railing. He gazed at the water lapping at the side of the ship as it moved, the moonlight giving it a glowing, surreal appearance. Zuko sighed, feeling the breeze blow through his loose hair, and his eyes closed. It had been quite some time that he hadn't had any sort of dreams—or nightmares, as they should be called—related to the rebellion, years even. Thinking back, Zuko couldn't even really remember the last time he found himself waking up, gasping for breath, covered in sweat, with the occasional shiver. The horrid memories must have finally begun to dissipate and leave his mind at peace. At least, that was until his most recent recollection of the events that had taken place that horrible day. Now, the nightmares were making their way back into his mind.

He did blame Sokka, really, for bringing up these memories. Sokka was clearly just bringing it up to make a point, and had the full right to do so; he knew that. But still, the thought of what could've happened that day if Jeong Jeong hadn't been so determined to look for them. All he could remember, besides the pain of his cracked skull, was the sheer terror that had coursed through his body as he had looked upon Katara's unconscious body. The memory of it made him want to vomit, made his mouth dry.

Zuko gave out a frustrated sigh, and his hands found their way into his hair, tugging at the ends. As he did, a pair of small, slender arms came around his middle, their fingers lacing together across his stomach, hugging him. _Katara._

Zuko's hands found their way to his stomach, cradling hers, warming them. As soon as his skin touched hers, he heard her whisper into his back, the sound of her soft voice soothing him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, nuzzling her face in between his shoulder blades.

Zuko took a deep breath, running his fingers along hers. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He felt her shake her head. "You're lying."

Zuko sighed and, taking her arm in a gentle grasp, he pulled her around to his front, her back to the railing, pinned between his body and the edge of the ship. His arms came up to wrap around her waist a second later. He looked into her eyes as he spoke. "I'm fine."

Katara's brows furrowed together and she shook her head again. "Why are you lying to me? Why won't you talk to me?"

Zuko didn't respond. He pulled her closer to him, molding her body to his, his head resting atop hers. "It was just a dream," he whispered.

"You okay?"

He managed a nod, inhaling the scent of her hair. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You're lying again," she accused.

His voice remained quiet. "I'm fine."

"Was it a nightmare?" she tried.

"Yeah," he said, swallowing hard.

Katara pulled back a little, looking into his eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

His shoulders fell as he sighed. "If I say no, you'll just keep at it anyway."

Her hands came up to his face, forcing his eyes to hers. "I just want to help. Please, Zuko? Talk to me?"

Zuko pulled away from her, sidestepping slightly to lean on the railing once again. He clasped his hands in front of him and gazed out into the water.

"Zuko?" Katara asked quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He huffed. "It was about the raids."

Katara was confused. "Raids?" Her head fell to the side and her brows knitted together. "What raids?"

Zuko cleared his throat, his gaze still locked on the horizon. "Do you remember when the rebels broke into the palace? You were in the library? They—"

"—tortured me to get to you," she finished quietly. Then the realization of her words hit. "Oh."

"Yeah," Zuko swallowed, wringing his hands together.

Katara's hand began to stroke his back in a soothing gesture. "I thought you said that you haven't had dreams about that for a long time."

Zuko shrugged, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I lied."

Katara nodded. "What brought it up this time?" Her voice still held that quiet, sorrow tone.

"Sokka," he answered without hesitation.

Again, Katara seemed lost. "Sokka? What do you mean?"

Zuko shook his head. "He and I were talking the other day and it just came up. It's nothing." _I can't tell her that he threatened to kill me if something happened…_

Katara pressed on. "Well, it can't mean nothing if it's giving you nightmares."

Zuko turned his head and met her gaze at last. He was conscientious to keep his eyes gentle. "Katara, it's nothing; really. Talking about it just… It brought up some bad memories, is all."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Zuko nodded. "Yeah." His gaze shifted toward the horizon again as he stood up straight. "It's still pretty late. We should probably try to get some more sleep."

Katara offered a light smile. She knew there was still something that he wasn't telling her. Her instincts told her that something must have happened with Sokka when they had given their farewells, but she didn't want to push it. If she knew Zuko at all, she knew that if there was anything wrong, he wouldn't speak about it immediately. If it was something really important, he would have told her. Regardless, she wasn't about to let such a thing get in the way of their time together.

"Okay," she said, giving him a light kiss.

As she turned to walk back inside, Zuko spoke up. "You okay?"

His question seemed to stump her a little bit. Was she okay? _No. I wish you'd just tell me what's really bothering you,_ she thought. _That, on top of the fact that I don't know where we are going…_ "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Really?" he asked, his voice quiet.

_No._ Katara raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "That depends. Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

Zuko chuckled. "No, it's a surprise." Katara huffed. "I _can_ tell you that we'll be there by morning," he finished, smiling.

* * *

"Katara," Zuko whispered, his breath warm against her cheek.

"Hmm?" she hummed, eyes still closed, still sleep.

Zuko placed a kiss to her shoulder. "We're here. Aren't you going to wake up?"

"Hmm."

"Is that a _Yes_?" he chuckled.

No response.

Zuko's lips touched her shoulder once more, moving up towards her neck. They lingered on the skin there for a couple seconds before he moved further up towards her ear. "Katara, wake up," he whispered.

Nothing.

Zuko sighed and stood from his perch on the edge of the bed. He moved closer to where Katara lay on the mattress, bending just low enough to be able to reach his arms around her, lifting her sleeping form. She gave no protest as he shifted her weight in his arms, but instead opted for snuggling her face into the side of his neck as he carried her. Zuko had always loved carrying his wife, and he loved how she fit so well in his arms. Cliché as it was, he felt as though she were his missing piece and wanted nothing more than to just hold her close like this forever.

However, he knew that couldn't happen for them. He had always tried to keep it buried deep within his conscious, but recently he found that it had clawed its way back to the surface again, showing its ugly face. He'd once let it slip to Katara before, his thoughts and views. It was another time where he had allowed for his tongue to act before his brain could stop it from spitting the self-hating words. Nothing had ever seemed to go right for him and Zuko only wished that he could, for once, hold on to this _one_ thing that _had_ gone right in his life—Katara. If there was anything that Zuko wanted more than his own life was to preserve the happiness and love that he gained from being around the waterbender.

It was a leap of faith, he knew that. He knew that forcing some kind of retreat from the normal, hectic days that he had always seemed to find himself encumbered with, and the issues that seemed to constantly slap him in the face. But as Zuko held Katara close now, any concern that he had about all of that suddenly disappeared, any doubt he had suddenly disappeared. As he held Katara close, feeling her breath against his neck as he carried her, all of his anxiety seemed to melt away, and he let out a deep breath of relief.

As Zuko walked through the threshold of the beach house, he took in the familiar scents and sights. It had been what seemed like forever since they had gone to Ember Island and spent time in the royal vacation house and it brought a smile to his lips at the memories that now rushed through his mind. If only things would stay this peaceful and calm.

As he opened the door to the master bedroom, Zuko adjusted Katara in his arms, ready to place her on the bed. When he did, he was pleased to see that the movement hadn't roused her, and that she was noticeably comfortable as she began to snuggle down into the soft sheets. Zuko bent low, placing a kiss to her head as if she were a small, delicate child. He then turned his attention toward the open balcony doors on the other side of the room, watching the sun appear over the water's horizon. Glancing quickly from his sleeping wife to the sun, Zuko shrugged, figuring he could squeeze a good hour's worth of time before she woke, and he was anxious to see what her reaction might be.

* * *

Katara's eyes blinked open as the sun streamed in from outside and groaned. It wasn't quite midday, but she could tell it was later than her usual waking time. The first thing she noticed through the fogginess of her vision was the dark, wood walls directly across from her. She took a deep breath and wrinkled her nose at the saltiness of the air, inwardly cursing at the heat that was now touching her skin. _Where was she?_

Katara let out another low groan as she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. She yawned and rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes. Her hands fell to her cheeks, rubbing the skin just enough to make a light color come to the surface. Even though she had just woken up, she looked beautiful. Katara's hands dropped from her face, lazily falling down into her lap as she turned her head to meet her husband's gaze. The look in his eyes confused her.

"What?" she asked.

His brows furrowed briefly. "What?"

Katara chuckled. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Zuko smiled and shrugged. "Anticipation?"

"Anticipation of what, exactly?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just come outside and you'll see."

Katara blinked. "Outside? Where are we?"

Zuko laughed. "Not familiar, yet, huh? Just come out with me, see if anything rings a bell."

He knew that the house wouldn't be all too familiar to her. After all, back in the day, they had never spent time in this wing of the house. From this side, it was a completely different view of the beach, and housed a completely different atmosphere than the rest of the house. He was pleased, however, when he offered her his hand, and she took it without any further questions, just simple trust and faith.

"Close your eyes," Zuko whispered, his hands finding her shoulders, guiding her towards the door.

Katara complied, an amused smile finding its way onto her lips. "How long do I have to keep my eyes closed?"

Zuko chuckled. "Until I say that you can open them. Just promise you won't peek."

Katara sighed. "I won't peek."

"You promise?" he pressed.

She giggled. "I promise."

"Walk this way," Zuko continued, his voice a whisper in her ear. His grip on her shoulders tightened a fraction as he turned her out of the doorway, himself walking behind her.

Zuko guided her down the long hallway, through the main room, and towards the back hallway. He stopped her momentarily, coming to stand in front of her as he opened the back door. As the door swung open and the light breeze flowed into the house, he turned, checking to see if her eyes were still closed. He was happy to see that she had kept her promise. He walked her further outside, turning her body just right so she was facing the beach off of the porch. Zuko wrapped his arms around her middle, resting his chin on her shoulder.

His voice was soft as he whispered in her ear. "Okay, open."

Katara's eyes opened slowly, looking out at the beach, the morning light shining over the waters, and she gasped. "Ember Island?"

"Happy birthday," Zuko whispered.

Katara smiled, turning her head this way and that, taking in the view. "We haven't been here in so long! So much has changed!" She stepped out of his arms and turned her body to face him, leaning on the railing. "How long are we staying?"

Zuko lifted a shoulder. "I figured about a week or so? A week and a half at the most. I figured we could use a nice vacation."

"But why here?"

"Well, I know Ember Island is one of your favorite places in the Fire Nation, and I thought you'd enjoy being here for your birthday—just like we planned; just the two of us," Zuko said, a crooked smile finding its way to his lips.

Katara laughed out loud, the sound echoing throughout the small porch.

Zuko's face fell. "What?"

Katara tried to refrain from her hysterics, but couldn't help her laughter.

"What?" Zuko asked again, his face quickly turning into one of anxiety. Had he not made the right decision? Was he stupid for bringing her here? "Why are you laughing at me?" he questioned.

Katara's laughter died down at his question, resulting in quiet giggles as she watched him. She shook her head as her giggled came to a stop and walked toward him, her hands on her hips. Zuko held his breath.

"Since when are you so romantic?" she asked, another chuckle escaping.

The breath that he was holding came out as a huff as he exhaled, his eyes narrowing. "I'm _not_ romantic."

Katara laughed again, placing a hand on his cheek. "You are and you don't even know it." She smiled.

"I wasn't_ trying_ to be romantic," Zuko said.

Katara reached up to kiss him. "Yeah, but you are, even when you don't try." She kissed him again, this time with more vigor.

Zuko's arms up to wrap around her waist as she kissed him, but pulled back only a fraction in order for him to whisper, "Happy birthday, Katara."

She smiled, one hand tangling in his hair, the other applying just enough pressure to his chest to walk him backwards into the house as she kissed him.

* * *

"Have you handed out all of the flyers?"

"Yes, sir, I have," Supai nodded from his seat.

"And have you had any responders, yet?" the man asked, his fingers knotting on the table as he squared his shoulders.

"Yes, sir, but not many…"

"_How many, Lieutenant?_" the man asked, his voice harsh.

Supai winced, and glanced up in thought. "Around fifteen, sir? I can't be sure. There were many other flyers that I passed out, but… but I only got a few immediate responses."

"You need to _be sure_, Lieutenant!" the man shouted. "You think we can afford to rebel if we can't even keep track as to how many followers our cause has?"

"N—No, sir."

"Of course, not. Now—dare I ask—have you any more information on the Fire Lord and Lady?"

"Ju—Just that they're on a retreat to Ember Island, sir. On the other hand, the Fire Lord is scheduled to be traveling to the Earth Kingdom in about two weeks' time."

The man sighed, rubbing at his eyes in frustration. "I know. I've been making arrangements to go to the Earth Kingdom as well, but I can't guarantee anything at the moment. Either way, we need to keep track of the Fire Lord and his dealings there. We need to know what he is planning when it comes to the other nations."

Supai nodded. "Understood, sir. Is there anything else that you need done?"

The man stroked his chin, thinking. "Get in contact with the new recruits. We need to organize a briefing with them before we take the next steps. We'll continue this conversation tonight at the old shack where we met before. You can divulge any more information you may have for me then."

Supai nodded and stood, bowing his head low. "Yes, sir. I'll get in touch with them right away. But, before I go, may I ask just one question, sir?"

The man gave a stern nod.

Supai swallowed. "If—If the Fire Lord is leaving for the Earth Kingdom, is the Fire Lady accompanying him?"

The man shrugged. "I imagine so. If we know anything about his _relationship_ with the waterbender, we know that he doesn't particularly like leaving her alone. And for good reason," he said, an evil smile playing at his lips.

"But what if he does go alone and leaves her here? Wouldn't that be the perfect time to strike?"

"For the sake of the question, no. We are still fairly weak and unable to do any damage at this point."

"Does His Majesty know of our current position, sir?"

The man pursed his lips. "Not at the moment. I have not been able to slip away to be able to hold an audience with him. He needs to be informed, however, and soon. I am, however, taking the Fire Lord's current absence into consideration. I might just be able to speak with him."

Supai nodded. "I still worry about the Fire Lady, sir. What if she—"

The man laughed. "There is _nothing_ to fear, Lieutenant. We'll probably have to deal with that oaf, Jeong Jeong, in the Fire Lord's absence. That is nothing to worry about, we'll just keep our heads low, like we always have. But like I've said, there is no way that I can imagine that the Fire Lord would leave the waterbender behind. It's not like he could ever trust her to run the nation by _herself_!"

* * *

"Stop right there! _What?_" Katara shrieked as she sat up in bed, clutching the sheet to her bare torso.

Zuko sighed. "I have to go to the Earth Kingdom to aid the Earth King and his men, and I'm leaving you in charge of the throne."

Katara scoffed. "And you're _just now_ telling me this? Are you _kidding me?_ I can't do that!"

Zuko sat up, running a hand through his hair. "Katara, I know you're not very happy about this, and I didn't even mean for it to come out that way. I meant to tell you in a more, I don't know, serious manner?"

"So, you opted to tell me while we're lying in bed together?"

Zuko winced at the acid in her tone. "I'm sorry. I don't know why it came out that way."

"How can you think I handle things there on my own? I can barely get through _my own_ schedule!"

Zuko nodded. "I thought about that and talked to a few people. Jeong Jeong said he'd be happy to help you."

"Jeong Jeong? _Seriously?_"

Zuko swallowed audibly. "Yes?"

Katara shook her head and sniffed. Zuko could only hope that she wasn't crying. "Why didn't you tell me that you were leaving?" She turned to look back at him and Zuko could see the tears forming in her eyes.

He let out a heavy breath. "I don't know. I know I should have told you sooner, but I didn't want you to worry about anything so early on."

"You still could have told me," Katara answered.

"I know, I'm sorry."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

Zuko gave a guilty shrug. "I don't know."

Katara swallowed, nodding somberly. "Okay, then." She moved to get up when he stopped her, catching her arm.

"Katara!"

She turned and he released his grip. "What, Zuko?"

Zuko's hands came up to cover his face, his elbows resting on his bent knees. "I just wanted this vacation to be a good one. I wanted to get away from all political matters and all issues before I left. I just wanted to spend some time with you without anyone interrupting us. I wanted to be able to relax. Of course, I ruined that, just like I do everything else…"

Katara sniffled, standing from the bed, taking the sheet with her, wrapping it around her form. "I'm going to get dressed and go down to the beach."

Zuko looked up. "Are you mad at me?" he asked, his voice unsure.

"No. I'm not," she answered plainly. "I'm upset with you."

"Isn't that the same thing?" His eyes never left her as she attempted to run her fingers through her hair, untangling it.

She shook her head. "No. It's not."

"Is this vacation ruined for you now?" he asked, hoping for a _No_.

Katara shrugged as she walked over to the washroom. "I don't know," she whispered as she disappeared through the doors.

Zuko heaved out a heavy sigh, flopping back onto the mattress. _Why am I so bad at being good?_ "I'm such an idiot."

Knowing that Katara wanted time to think for herself right now, Zuko pulled himself from the bed and made his way to the door, pulling on some comfortable clothes as he went. He didn't exactly know where he was going to go. Perhaps he was going to go down to the beach after Katara?

_Would she be okay with that? No. She doesn't want to look at you right now…_ he thought sadly, making his way toward the kitchen. _Maybe some tea will calm my nerves._

Zuko grabbed the kettle, filling it with water from the faucet. As he did, he heard the faint sound of the back door opening and closing as Katara left. Zuko took a deep breath, lighting the burner with a quick spark of fire from his fingertip. As he waited for the water to boil, he leaned against the counter, thinking over the recent turn of events, his thoughts brooding and somber. The whistle on the pot began to sound and Zuko turned his attention to the task at hand. He stared at the cupboard, considering. After a few short moments, he grabbed two cups and placed them on the tray, and placed the tea leaves into the hot water, purposefully choosing Katara's favorite. Zuko splashed a little into the cup he deemed as his own and took a quick sip, happy to find the taste satisfactory.

Pleased with himself, Zuko made his way into the back hallway, tea tray in hand. As he swung open the back door, he silently thanked the Spirits that it wasn't too far a walk to the beach from the back door, but only a couple yards. He could already see her plain as day. She had taken a towel and the umbrella and had set up a beach blanket not too far from the water's edge. As for Katara, herself, she stood about mid-calf in the water, a stream twisting and twirling around her body as she commanded. He hadn't seen her waterbend in a while, and took his time to watch her. Her movements were always fluid and graceful as she moved her element. Katara would stretch her arms high, and the water followed, flowing and twisting to her will. As Zuko looked closer, he noticed her eyes were closed in a peaceful trance. He figured that was why she hadn't noticed him standing there. He looked even closer and noticed a gentle smile on her face as she moved, bending the water into a stream in front of her, and he hated to have to ruin her good mood, her peacefulness. Honestly, Zuko hoped that she was, in fact, in a _good_ mood, at all. Regardless, he tried to get her attention without startling her.

"Ahem," Zuko said, clearing his throat. "Katara?"

Katara turned, the water splashing back into place. "What is it?"

Zuko shrugged his shoulders, glancing from the tea tray to her within seconds. "I made tea. Join me?"

Katara seemed to be judging whether or not to go to him.

Zuko swallowed, his face falling. "Please?"

Katara stood there, watching him for what seemed like forever. Just as Zuko was about to accept defeat, she began walking toward her little beach setup, motioning for him to join her under the umbrella. She sat on the blanket, grabbing the towel to dry her legs as he inched closer, setting the tray down in the sand.

"Here you go," Zuko said, handing her a cup.

"Thanks." Katara took the cup from him, eyeing its contents before taking a sip. "It's cold," she said, her voice flat.

Zuko's face fell. "Oh." He gently took the cup from her, heating his hands as he had done so many other times. "It was hot when I came out here," he said, watching as steam began to rise from the small cup. He handed it back to her, offering an apologetic smile. "That should be better."

To his surprise, Katara answered with a gentle smile. However, it quickly disappeared behind the cup as she sipped the tea. She sighed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Zuko replied, pouring himself a cup and taking a long drink, emptying it quickly. He set the cup down, eyeing her tentatively. "I'm sorry," he whispered after a moment.

Katara took a long sip of tea. "For what?"

Zuko blinked. "For everything. For this whole thing."

Katara remained silent, staring out into the water.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked innocently.

Katara sighed, shaking her head. "No, Zuko, I'm not." She looked at him, meeting his gaze with seriousness. "I'm upset."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "Upset?"

Katara set her cup down on the tray, next to his. "Yes, Zuko, I'm upset."

Zuko looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry. This really isn't how I wanted to spend this vacation."

"And how did you want to spend it, Zuko?" Katara asked, her voice increasing in volume.

Zuko licked his lips. "N—Not like this. I really didn't want this to come up the way it did, really."

"Were you ever going to tell me that you were leaving?" Katara asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes."

"Is that the truth, Zuko?"

"Yes," he repeated, his voice stern. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Look, when we decided to spend today together, I wanted it to be worth it. I realize that this is definitely not what you were looking forward to for your birthday, and I'm sorry, so sorry. I just hope that we can get over this and enjoy ourselves before I have to leave."

Katara nodded in understanding. After a moment of silence, she spoke. "Okay."

Zuko held her gaze. "Okay?"

Katara nodded, offering a genuine smile. "Yes."

Zuko returned the smile, taking one of her hands in his. "Thank you."

Katara looked down at their hands. "When do you leave?"

Zuko frowned again. "In about two weeks." He saw her face begin to fall and he quickly continued, grasping her hand even tighter. "I know, I know! I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Should I even ask when you'll be back?" Katara asked quietly, her voice almost inaudible.

Zuko looked down. "No. That's the thing. That's actually why I organized this whole thing. I don't know when I'll be back. I honestly don't know how long this thing is going to take…"

"Our anniversary?"

Zuko shook his head. "I don't think so. I can't apologize enough. I figured we could celebrate while we're here, just the two of us," he answered, running his thumb across her knuckles.

Katara took a deep breath and nodded. As if someone had flipped a switch in her brain, Katara chuckled. "How did you manage to get not only one day off, but almost two weeks?"

Zuko blinked at her change of attitude, but managed to answer quickly. "Uncle, actually. He volunteered to handle everything. He understood the circumstances, and told me not to worry about anything. He'll leave with me to go back to Ba Sing Se."

Katara nodded.

"So, you're not mad anymore?" he asked. "You'll be okay when I'm gone?"

Katara shrugged. "I had been thinking about it. I'll manage, but don't get me wrong, I'll be eagerly waiting for you to return and take the reins back," she laughed.

Zuko laughed with her. For as long as they had been together, she had never been able to stay upset with him for long. "So we're okay?"

Katara nodded and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. As he pulled back, she gave him a wicked grin. "Care for a spar?" she asked, quirking a challenging eyebrow.

Zuko laughed out loud. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

"General Iroh, sir, wait!" Supai shouted, jogging down the hall toward the elderly man.

"Lieutenant Supai, what can I do for you?" Iroh laughed, a smile on his face.

Supai approached, panting from the exertion. "I just was curious about something, sir?"

The smile broadened. "Of course, Lieutenant. I'll be happy to help in any way I can. What are you curious about?"

Supai scratched the back of his neck, wondering how to word the question without sounding suspicious. "Well, General Iroh, sir, I—"

Iroh laughed out loud. "Lieutenant, please. We both know I am a retired general, so there is no need for such formalities. But, please, continue."

"Uh, sir, I was just wondering who will be in charge of things in Fire Lord Zuko's absence while he is patching things with the, uh, Earth Kingdom, sir? I was wondering if… you would be, sir?"

Iroh shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Lieutenant. I am traveling back to the Earth Kingdom along with my nephew."

"But, what about the Fire Nation?" Supai asked, feigning concern.

"You have nothing to worry about, my boy. I can tell you, with confidence, that Lady Katara will remain here in the Fire Nation to watch over things."

"That is good to hear, sir," Supai replied. _The boss will not be happy about this_. "Thank you, sir."

"Any time, Lieutenant. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

_Help break this terrible news to my superiors?_ Supai thought. "No, sir. That was it."

"Oh, well, then. I was happy to help. Now, you'll excuse me, I was just on my way to the gardens to enjoy a nice cup of tea," Iroh said, smiling a genuine smile before turning to continue down the hall.

Supai bowed his head. "Of course, sir."

As he watched Iroh walk away, the only thing that Supai could think of was how he was going to break this news at that night's meeting. He knew that it was going to be bad. They had to come up with some kind of plan, and quick.

* * *

"Give up?" Katara smiled, still on the offensive.

Zuko knelt in the sand, his skin glistening with sweat. He looked up and grinned crookedly. "Oh, you know me," he panted. "I never give up."

"Then come on, Fire Lord," Katara laughed, gathering a stream of water, waiting to strike.

From his kneeling position, Zuko flipped his legs out from under him, balancing his weight on his hands as he kicked a blast of fire toward her. Katara quickly dodged, laughing all the while. Returning his advances, Katara pushed the water outward from the ocean, bringing in a huge wave, soaking him and forcing him back in the process. In an act of comedy, Zuko sat up, a stream of water squirting from his mouth as if he were a fountain.

Katara laughed out loud. She knew when they started the match, they weren't being very serious about it, but now he was just being silly. Katara loved when Zuko just let loose and allowed himself to joke and laugh. It was something so strange and unheard of until they started their relationship. Bit by bit, it seemed that Zuko had started to relax in his role as Fire Lord and relax in his personal life with her. Now, with the years passed, it seemed like he was enjoying life, laughing, smiling—the life that he should have had when he was young, but had always evaded him. Even still, she only found that he let himself be like this was around her, and she cherished these moments.

Katara threw another wave of water at him, pushing him further back onto the beach. "I win," she giggled.

Zuko shook his head, a small flame dancing in his palm, juggling from hand to hand. "We weren't even really sparring," he said, glancing down between his feet.

Katara gave a wicked smirk and pulled up another thin stream of water, whipping him swiftly on the top of his head. Zuko looked up, his eyes wide open. He looked at her in shock more than pain, and Katara couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, that's it," he said, standing up, his fists clenching.

Katara gasped theatrically, taking off down the beach, running. Zuko took off after her, chasing. He knew it was childish and completely out of his character, but he didn't care. It didn't take him long to catch up to her and as he did, he could hear the sound of her laughter. As he came up behind her, he grabbed her around the waist, toppling them both to the ground. Zuko moved over her, pinning her to the ground.

"I win," he said, a smirk on his face.

Katara giggled, panting as she quoted him. "We weren't even really sparring…"

Zuko narrowed his eyes, but smiled despite his attempts to be annoyed.

"What?" Katara asked behind another fit of giggles.

His only answer was shaking his head. He leaned his head down to kiss her and she met him with a smile, wrapping her arms around his neck, eagerly welcoming his affection.

* * *

"I was afraid of this happening," the man said, his fingers rubbing at his eyes. "Just when I thought this nation's leadership couldn't get any worse, a _waterbender_ is thrown into the mix."

"…And I wanted to tell you, sir, that I met with the new recruits, and I can happily tell you that nearly half of them are firebenders, and are willing to teach each other techniques and train at any point in the day to gain strength." Supai said, a boyish smile on his face.

"And the others?" the man asked.

"Uh…" Supai looked down at the papers in his hand. "One man is skilled with in the ways of the sword and said he is willing to provide the materials for swordsmanship training."

"Well, at least there's _some_ kind of good news, here. That will please His Majesty when I speak with him."

"You—You're speaking to the Phoenix King?" Supai asked, shock visible on his face.

The man gave a wicked smile. "Yes. I have arranged with the nightly guard to allow me to speak with him."

Supai tilted his head in confusion. "The guards are on our side, sir? Besides myself?"

The man nodded slowly. "Only a select few. Luckily one of them happens to be the night guard of the prison. The night of the New Year will give me some leeway to speak with him. It is the perfect time to do it, seeing as all of the city's residents will be in the main square. It will make it easy for me to slip away."

"Very good, sir," Supai nodded. "But, what about the Fire Lady?"

The man shook his head, sighing. "I don't think there's anything that we can do about that right now. We will just have to put up with whatever she decides, act like it's any other day."

"But—"  
"Look, Lieutenant! Am I happy with this news? No. Do I really want to be ruled over by a Water Tribe _peasant_? Definitely not. But our numbers are still fairly low. We'll need strength in our numbers before we really act. We have to lie low and take whatever is given us until then. When I speak with His Majesty, I will see if he has any suggestions."

"What should I tell the recruits, sir?"

The man squared his shoulders, sitting tall. "Tell them to lie low, just as we are. However, tell the swordsman to begin gathering his supplies, the earlier he starts, the better."

"Yes, sir." Supai bowed his head. "Is there anything else that needs to be done, sir?"

The man considered for a moment. "Keep gathering recruits; pass out more flyers if you have to. We need more members for our movement. If we want to make any kind of progress, we need more people involved. I can't stress that enough, Lieutenant."

Supai swallowed. "Yes, sir."

The man leaned forward in his seat, lacing his fingers together in front of his mouth. His eyes narrowed, but the evil glint in his eyes remained, piercing into the wall of the shack. The candlelight flickering across his features, making him look even more menacing.

His voice was deep and gravelly as he spoke in the darkness. "Fire Lord Zuko's reign will end. Soon."

* * *

**Again, I apologize for the lateness of the chapter. Editing took a little bit longer than I expected. Hopefully, I didn't miss anything, but if I did, or if anything sounds weird and should be reworded, please let me know.**

* * *

*****Also, I have something that might interest you. A while back, I had rewritten a part of Chapter 2: Memories. It deals with the end of Zuko and Azula's duel and what happens afterward (basically from the duel through to the end of the chapter). I had never got around posting it until now. So, if you'd like to read it, just go to Chapter 2: Memories, and skip down to after the Agni Kai scene, starting with, _"Katara tightened the chains..."_. And remember, the new content goes through until the end of the chapter! I hope you guys like how I changed around what happens after from what I had before.*****

* * *

**As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and reviews are greatly appreciated.**


End file.
